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Alan Machin: Tourism As Education
Home page: blogs, introductions, links to main pages
 
 
Berlin: Editing a Townscape
... and reading a city that has had many rebuilders
 
 
Making Sense of The Travel Learning Experience- 1
1 Information Streams
 
 
Making Sense of the Travel Learning Experience - 2
Some basic theories
 
 
Back to Basics: Presentation given at the Cuba EduTourism Conference
The CETA Conference in Havana, Cuba, 8/9 November 2010
 
 
About the author
Comments - CV - photos
 
 
Showcases
At the heart of the tourist experience
 
 
Learning through Landscapes
Exploring Oxfordshire (and a bit of Gloucestershire!)
 
 
The Environment As Data: Building New Theories For Tourism
How tourists relate to places
 
 
Sail Gives Way to Steam
A return visit discovers just how much has been achieved in this iconic restoration
 
 
Richard III and the Battle of Bosworth Reenactment
Visits to Leicester and the battlefield event, 2013
 
 
Along The Way
Recollections and Reflections of 60+ Years' Learning about the World and its Ways
 
 
On the Edge of the New World
Shaping New England
 
 
Flatland
Exploring Holderness in East Yorkshire; October 2012
 
 
Past Historic
Graf Zepplin, Spain 1968, OS History, Much Wenlock Olympics, Chatham Dockyard, Hawes Tourism, Colonial Williamsburg,
 
 
A Summer of Travelling / Matthew Starr
Three months' backpacking in Africa, Asia and Australia
 
 
East Anglia
The Broads, Pensthorpe natural history, Radar Museum, Caister Lifeboat Service and more!
 
 
A Richer Earth
Discoveries in the landscape and attractions of Shropshire
 
 
Blog Index Page
Blog pages from 2009 listed
 
 
From Strip Map to Sat Nav
'Finding the way' aids to exploration
 
 
Showcasing the World
How the Tourist Microcosm took centre stage
 
 
Doing A Dissertation
Notes to help students preparing their proposals
 
 
The Japanese Tsunami Destruction at First Hand
Sarah and Tom Wadsworth saw for themselves
 
 
Showcases: Examples
The range and variety of tourism's focal points examined
 
 
Jigsaw: Frameworks of Knowledge
The tourist jigsaw puzzle of - knowledge
 
 
Bibliography
Books and other works useful in studying tourism as education
 
 
Tourism's Educational Origins: Part 2
The development of tourism as education, 1845 -
 
 
Tourism's Educational Origins: Part 1
Tourism's educational origins and management
 
 
Impressions of Tourism in Cuba
Thoughts on having seen some of the country myself
 
 
Captain James Cook: North Yorkshire Days
Tracing the early life of Britain's greatest maritime explorer
 
 
Hunting the Hound of the Baskervilles
Tracking down places that inspired the famous detective story and moulded Dartmoor's image
 
 
Exploring the Idea of Dark Tourism
What is it? Is it a useful idea?
 
 
Talking to Tourists
Visitor interpretation - guide books, visitor centres and other media
 
 
Shades of Light and Dark in the Garden of England
An exploration in East Sussex and Kent, June/July 2010
 
 
Hunting the Gladiator and the Gecko
A thirteen-year search for a wartime adventure
 
 
Steam Up For A Famous Film's Birthday Party
The Railway Children weekend on the Worth Valley line raises questions about heritage presentations
 
 
Anne-Marie Rhodes: Making a Difference in South East Asia
Leeds Met graduate of '07 describes her activities
 
 
Discoveries in Northumberland, April 2010
Alnwick Gardens; Winter's Gibbet; Holy Island, Cragside, Wallington Hall
 
 
Discoveries in the Midlands, March 2010
Bletchley Park National Codes and Cipher Centre; and the Rollright Stones
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - April 2010
The development of tourism as education continued
 
 
Jigsaw Puzzle!
The Adventure of the Timely Tourist
 
 
Leaders Into The Field
People who inspired everyone to explore
 
 
Alan Machin's blogs - February and March 2010
Postings on the history tourism as education - redirection
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - January 2010
Tourist photography and souvenirs
 
 
Earlier front-page blog postings - January 2010 onwards
Archived after being on the Home Page
 
 
Bickering
News from higher education and - beyond
 
 
The Development of Educational Tourism
Key dates in the development of educational tourism
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - December 2009
Christmas Quiz and other postings
 
 
Analysing Heritage Tourism
Ideas and perspectives on a hugely important sector
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - November 2009
Visitors' Views of Stonehenge, West Sussex - and other Postings
 
 
Are Universities Losing Their Way?
Reflections having retired
 
 
Teaching Tourism At Leeds Met
Remembering the Best
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - October 2009
Thoughts about university life and discovery by travel
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - September 2009
Further postings about a trip last month to the USA, and about higher education
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - August 2009
Postings about a trip this month to the USA
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - July 2009
The Story So Far reaches the summer
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - June 2009
The Story So Far looks back on seventeen years at Leeds Met
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - May 2009
Another month of The Story So Far
 
 
Alan Machin's blog - April 2009
Yet more of the Story So Far
 
 
Alan Machin's blog - March 2009
More of The Story So Far
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - February 2009
The Story So Far - pioneers, people and places
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog: January 2009
The Story So Far .... first postings of '09
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog: December 2008
The Story So Far .... latest postings
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog - November '08
The Story So Far.... continued
 
 
Alan Machin's Blog: October 2008
The Story So Far....
 
 
No Place Like Rome
The eternal city with the eternal tourists
 
 
Charleston, South Carolina
A photo essay about a fine historic city
 
 
Idealog - December 2007
Ideas, notes and comments
 
 
Idealog - November 2007
Ideas, notes and comments
 
 
The Educational Origins of Tourism
Discussion paper
 
 
Idealog - October 2007
Coton Military Cemetery; Education and Tourism; Chatham Maritime; Dickens World; Quiz Answers; Tourist Guides; Mediation In Tourism
 
 
Idealog - September 2007
Plane Paradox;Tour Guiding; Where in the World?; Do Tourism Students Know Where They Are?; Leeds Met's Wow!; Sea Harrier; Scarborough and Tourism As Education; Doing A Dissertation; Types of Tourist; A Media Lens; Cost of Travelling Alone; Risk of Bias?
 
 
Idealog - August 2007
A People Industry; Heritage Interpretation; Lud's Church; Tourists Go Home!; Stone Gappe YHA; Insight Guides; Eyewitness Guides; Bramhope Tunnel; Elizabethan Progress; Information Quality Matrix
 
 
Idealog - July 2007
Hidden Heroes, Health Tourism, Holme Fen Posts; Harrogate (again); Whitby Abbey; Dramatic Interpretation; Harrogate Interpretation, Attractions and Royal Hall
 
 
Idealog - June 2007
Christian Pilgrimage; Cincinnati Museums Centre; The Coming of the Guide Book; Talking to Tourists - Media, Stages of the Visit, The Service Journey; Tourism's Missing Link; The Final Call; SATuration level; Halifax's Edwardian Window on the World
 
 
Idealog - May 2007
Martin and Osa Johnson, Wensleydale Creamery, Malham Tarn, Thomas Cook, Northern Ireland's Tourism Rebuild, Jamestown Festival Park, Cite des Sciences
 
 
Idealog - April 2007
The Promenade Plantee, The Jardin des Plantes, Environmental Data, Victorian Beauty Spot Rediscovered, Jamestown, The Anglers' Country Park, Children's Museums, Fairburn Ings
 
 
Idealog - March 2007
A Sense of the Past- The 'Amsterdam', The Outdoor Classroom, Film-Induced Tourism, Making Tracks for the Coast and Country, Pictures, Context and Meaning, Classics-on-Sea, Hi Hi Everyone!, Dark Side of the Dream, Holodyne - The Action Cycle
 
 
Idealog - February 2007
Don't Go There!, Space Tourism, The Crystal Cathedral, New Books on Tourism, Dark Tourism - Undercliffe Cemetery, Showcase - The Louvre, A Class Act, First Impressions Count, Postal Pleasures, Canaletto in Venice, Serpent Mound, Capsule Culture etc
 
 
Idealog - January 2007
Capsule Culture,Seaside Style, Poble Espanyol, Mallorca, Edgar Dale, Children's Holiday Homes, Representations of Reality, Outdoor Education in Germany, Baedeker Guides, Geography Textbooks, Environmental Data Theory etc
 
 
Idealog - December 2006
Writers on Landscape, Story Books, The Deep, Flour Power and the Archers,Showcases: Grand Tour, Halifax Piece Hall, Books of Concern about Tourism, Tourist Traces, Tourist Typologies, The Growth of Educational Tourism, The Field Studies Council, etc
 
 
Idealog - November 2006
A blog of ideas, comments and notes
 
 
Travel To Understand: Belfast
Telling the stories of troubled times
 
 
World Quiz 2010
Geography with a tourism angle
 
 
The Monterey Bay Aquarium
An outstanding educational facility in California
 
 
Chicago: Tourism Re-Imaging
A closer view of an iconic city
 
 
Colonial Williamsburg
A Virginia history showcase
 
 
A Social Club Outing By Train, 1935
How to do Scotland in 30 hours flat
 
 
Going Dutch
Presenting the past in the Netherlands
 
 
Keukenhof: Business is Blooming
Using tourism to promote an industry
 
 
A View of Italy for the City
Trentham Gardens Revived
 
 
A Case Study in Heritage Management
A curious tale of misleading publicity
 
 
Old Rice Farm
The story of the house in the 'holler'
 
 
Perfection in Paradise: The Eden Project
New page being added: The Eden Project's design for success
 
 
Escaping From Slavery: Facing Our Past
The US National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
 
 
Prague Tourist Shows
Outstanding showcase attractions in the city
 
 
Retracing the Steps: Tourism as Education
ATLAS Conference paper given in Finland, 2000
 
 
Tourism and Historic Towns: The Cultural Key
A background paper for a Council of Europe Conference
 
 
The Social Helix
Visitor Interpretation as a Tool for Social Development, 1989
 
 
Malta Residential, 14-21 Feb 2006 - Page 1
Reports and Pictures
 
 
Malta Residential, 14-21 Feb 2006 - Page 2
Photos and reports of Friday 17 Feb onwards
 
 
Malta Residential, 14-21 February 2006 - Page 3
Reports and pictures from Sunday, 19 February onwards
 
 
Tourism Alumni Reunion, 8 March 2003
Leeds tourism students reunion 2003
 
 
World Geography Quiz 1
A test of your knowledge
 
 
The Adventure of the Timely Tourist
The answers
 
 
Tall Ships Race 2010 Converged on Hartlepool
A major event-based boost for tourism in the town
 
 
Plymouth: From the Tamar to the Sea
Starting point for explorations round the globe
 
 
Plimoth Plantation
A reconstruction of the Mayflower settlers' village of the 1620s on the north east coast of North America
 
 
World Geography Quiz 2010 - Answers
Geography with a tourism angle
 
 
World Geography Quiz - Answers
 
 
Christmas Quiz 2009 - Answers
 
 
Oxford
A day in the city including the Botanic Garden
 
 
Tourist Showcases
Examples from around the world
 
 

About the author

Recommendations - CV - photographs

AM CV 1

“Alan … was always somebody that could offer valuable advice.  His dedication to quality standards in higher education are reflected in the extremely high quality learning experiences which participants in Alan's lectures and tutorials have enjoyed over the years.”  (Stuart Moss, Principal Lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University)

“Many of my colleagues and I are still in contact with Alan and I can honestly say that we often talk of him fondly.  His modules were always thoroughly enjoyable and informative - I owe him a lot”.  (Samantha Kelly, Jacada Travel, London)

“I met Alan when he visited the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta with his students, during one of their educational visits to the islands.  Every year he was in Malta I had him delivering lectures to our students, as well as providing his expertise with regards to tourist guide training.  I highly recommend Alan, as I have always found him reliable and adaptable.”  (Vincent Zammit, Principal Lecturer, Malta Institute of Tourism Studies)

“There are many of Alan's lectures and tutorials that I can honestly say I will never forget.  Nothing to do with the amusing ties that Alan enjoys wearing! - but because of the passion he exudes, the encouragement he provides and the way he is able to be on a level with students making a topic ‘come alive’.  It’s been over 12 years (ahem!) since I graduated and I still enjoy Alan’s enthusiasm and am still learning from him via his blog.”  (Judith Hutchinson, CEO – Sunrise Marketing)

“Alan … was someone that all students recognised as highly passionate about the subject of tourism but also, more importantly, about the success and welfare of all students.”  (Richard Bryan, CEO – QA Research, York)

“I worked for many years with Alan and was always impressed by his knowledge of tourism and commitment to teaching.  He was always very popular with students.”  (Professor Rhodri Thomas, Leeds Metropolitan University)

“Alan has always been an enthusiastic teacher, taking time to ensure that his students benefited from his considerable industry experience as well as from his insight into different academic theories and models associated with tourism planning, marketing and management.  He retains an interest in the work of the tourism programme at Leeds Met, most recently delivering a guest seminar on challenges around tourism development and promotion in West Yorkshire”.  (Simon Woodward – Principal Lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University)

“Alan was a very reliable, dedicated and conscientious tutor who was loved by his students.  He always put the students first and arranged many extra curricula events and field trips to enhance their education and university experiences.”  (Isabell Hodgson, Centre Leader, Hospitality and Retailing, Leeds Metropolitan University)

“I first met Alan in 1995 when I began my Tourism Management Degree at Leeds Metropolitan University.  His passion for the subject and genuine desire to help all of us succeed both academically and in life beyond made him popular with all.  Alan always had time to listen, guided us to reach our own conclusions and made learning fun through his imaginative delivery of subject matter.  I can honestly say that Alan is one the individuals who contributed most to where I am today.  Alan did not simply seek to teach his subject matter, he looked to push the boundaries of understanding and theory of tourism. The Tourism Industry in his eyes was not static, something we all came to understand under his tutelage.”  (Simon Sweet, Managing Director at Sweetway Asia, Bangkok)

“Alan’s … lectures were interesting and informative and Alan was always enthusiastic when presenting.  It was a great loss to Leeds Met when he left.  Since then I have followed Alan's frequent blogs on the tourism industry and kept up to date with my peers’ updates as Alan keeps an alumni page on his website”. (David Hatton, MSc student in Human Resources Management, University of Manchester)

“Alan … gave me the confidence and support I needed to help me to achieve a distinction in my dissertation.  He challenged me in a way that allowed me to become more assertive and driven.  His enthusiasm for travel and tourism rubbed off on me and I’m now working in Visitor Attraction Management “.  (Hannah Schumann, Business Development Manager, Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds)

Build a Better Britain Exhibition c1988

Click here to send me an email

I retired in July 2009 having been a Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. 

I don't consider myself primarily as an academic, though. For eleven years I worked in local government, for four years in museum interpretation and marketing and for one very enjoyable year for a leading northern design company. Very early on I taught geography and history in a secondary school. 

Part time work (work? - just as much fun as 'work') has always been a feature: for a commercial company as a leisure breaks leader and lecturer; and as an active member of a UK society for environmental interpretation, variously treasurer, regional judge for an awards scheme, and for one year only full time administrator. I ran a tiny company producing one of the earlier environmental studies magazines for three years, a project which grew out of life as a university student. 

I keep in touch with a very large number of ex-students from the University and can be found on Facebook and Friends Reunited. 

Specialist teaching subjects were: 

Tourism Geography 
Tourism Planning 
Tourism Development 
Heritage Interpretation 
Tourism and Mass Communications 
Educational Tourism 

I was also the undergraduate dissertations co-ordinator for Tourism Management courses and residential visits organiser to Scarborough, Edinburgh, Malta and Amsterdam and co-leader of visits to Bruges; and for day visits/conferences to the Lake District, Blackpool, Manchester and Bradford 

More detailed background: 

1962-1964 Temporary Assistant Teacher, Endon Secondary School, Staffordshire 
- pre-University teaching, which has not been possible for many years. It was like serving an apprenticeship for two years and entirely invaluable. I taught geography and history and bits of all sorts of other subjects when required! I also co-led a group on a Staffordshire Youth Camp week at Teddesley Park and introduced class excursions within the region. 

1964-68 Geography and History general degree courseUniversity College of Wales, Swansea. As a student I acted as the News Editor for the University College newspaper, then as chair of the Students' Union publications board. I was responsible for introducing first some basic letterpress printing facilities for Students' Union stationery, tickets etc; and then some of the first IBM electronic typesetting systems for the newspaper and magazines produced by Union groups. 

1968-1973 Computer OperationsUniversity College of Wales, Swansea 
- shift operations management and the design of training information 

1973-1978 Head of InterpretationIronbridge Gorge Museum Trust 
- managing multiple sites, visitor staff, marketing and visitor interpretation. The Museum achieved international awards and status during this time thanks to an outstanding team and community support 

1978-1985 Tourism OfficerCalderdale Metropolitan Borough Council 
- management of a town-centre tourist attraction complex situated in a scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade 1 listed building, the Halifax Piece Hall 
- developing tourism in a West Yorkshire manufacturing community - a non-traditional destination 

1985-1989 Public Relations and Marketing OfficerCalderdale Inheritance Project [Urban Regeneration] 
- a partnership between the public, private and voluntary sectors with a pioneering national profile which involved HRH the Prince of Wales; Richard Branson, the (national) Civic Trust, Business in the Community 
- coordinating officer for the Council of Europe Heritage and Urban Regeneration Conference, Halifax, October 1988 

1990-1991 DirectorSociety for the Interpretation of Britain's Heritage 
- a short-lived project that had unfortunately been badly set up by the organising committee of the time and as a result was severely under-resourced and had no proper launch strategy.  

1991-1992 Senior ExecutiveBulmer and Glennon Ltd, Leeds [Tourism Design Division] 
- a leading commercial design company in Leeds. However in 1992 the principal directors went their separate ways. My division was on target after a year but with the splitting of the company I moved to the University...... 

1992-2009 Lecturer then Senior LecturerLeeds Metropolitan University. Some of the most rewarding years possible, even within the context of rapid changes to higher education. Please see the pages on this web site for further information! 

also: 

1969-1972 Editor, 'Fieldworker' environmental studies magazine (part-time project) for Alan Machin Associates

1976-1999 LecturerLeisure Learning Weekends, Embassy Hotels Ltd (part-time). 

1982-1985 Adult Education Lecturer, Calderdale MBC and the WEA (part-time). 

1984-1987 Regional judgeInterpret Britain Awards for the Society for the Interpretation of Britain's Heritage. Treasurer of the Society, 1980 onwards

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