Rate My Professor Elaine Yang

Associate Professor Elaine Yang is a leading scholar in tourism at Griffith Business School, Griffith University, where she holds a position in the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management. She obtained her PhD in Tourism from Griffith University in 2017, a Master’s degree in International Hospitality Management from University of Toulouse 2 Le Mirail in 2012, and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from National Taiwan Normal University in 2009. Since commencing at Griffith University as a lecturer in 2017, she has advanced to Associate Professor in Tourism and serves as a Visiting Research Fellow at Wakayama University, Japan, since 2021. Yang is a member of professional organizations including CAUTHE and TTRA, and contributes as an associate for Equality in Tourism.

Her research specializations include gender studies in tourism—focusing on women as workers, entrepreneurs, and travellers—Asian tourism, tourist risk perception, solo female travel, and social impacts of tourism. She has produced over 55 peer-reviewed journal articles and contributed to four books. Key publications encompass 'A systematic literature review of risk and gender research in tourism' (Tourism Management, 2017; 658 citations), 'Power and empowerment: How Asian solo female travellers perceive and negotiate risks' (Tourism Management, 2018; 235 citations), 'Constructing space and self through risk taking: A case of Asian solo female travelers' (Journal of Travel Research, 2018; 173 citations), and 'What motivates and hinders people from travelling alone? A study of solo and non-solo travellers' (Current Issues in Tourism, 2021; 155 citations). Yang has secured funding for projects such as a DFAT-initiated digital entrepreneurship training program for female tourism entrepreneurs in Latin America. Her contributions have earned awards including the CAUTHE Fellows Award (Mid-Career Scholar) in 2023, Early Researcher Award from the Critical Tourism Studies Asia-Pacific Network in 2020, Emerging Tourism Scholar recognition by e-Review of Tourism Research, and Highly Commended Griffith Excellence in Teaching Award in 2016. Her influential work shapes academic discourse on gender equity and risk management in tourism, reflected in high citation counts and presentations at forums like UN Tourism Regional Conferences.