Muchazondida Mkono

Muchazondida Mkono, professionally known as Dr. Mucha Mkono, serves as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business within the UQ Business School at the University of Queensland, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy from Southern Cross University in 2013, earning the prestigious Chancellor's Medal for her exceptional PhD thesis entitled 'Contested authenticity in Zimbabwean tourist eatertainment.' This achievement led to a three-year postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Queensland, followed by her appointment as an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) Fellow in the Business School. Mkono's career trajectory reflects her dedication to advancing tourism scholarship through innovative methodologies and critical perspectives on sustainability.

Mkono's research interests encompass sustainable tourism, ethical tourism, tourist sociology, netnography, wildlife tourism, conservation efforts, digital activism, and social media analyses in tourism contexts. Her prolific publication record includes editing the volume 'Positive Tourism in Africa' (2019, Routledge), which explores optimistic approaches to tourism development on the continent. Notable journal articles feature 'A netnographic examination of constructive authenticity in Victoria Falls tourist (restaurant) experiences' (2012, International Journal of Hospitality Management), 'Sustainability and Indigenous tourism insights from social media' (2016, Journal of Sustainable Tourism), 'Beyond Reviewing: A commentary on social media in tourism' (2017, Journal of Travel Research with John Tribe), 'Eco-hypocrite and inauthenticity: criticisms and confessions of the eco-conscious tourist/traveller' (2020, Annals of Tourism Research), and 'A state-of-the-art-review of animals in tourism: key debates and future directions' (2024, Tourism Geographies). With over 2,300 citations documented on ResearchGate, her work has substantially influenced the field. Mkono received the CAUTHE Fellows' 2019 award for her contribution to hospitality and tourism research. She has extended her impact through expert testimony to the US Congress on viable alternatives to trophy hunting in wildlife tourism and by co-chairing the scientific committee for the CAUTHE 2025 conference. At UQ, she teaches courses in tourism management, including HOSP3005 and HOSP3004.