Birte Schmitz

My academic career spans 16 years. I accidentally ‘fell’ into teaching whilst studying for my Masters, taking on the role of a visiting lecturer at various institutions then lecturing full-time in Hospitality and Tourism. Before starting my academic career, I was a Tourism Development Assistant for Eastbourne Borough Council, which gave me the opportunity to work on their seafront strategy and to experience various national and international trade shows. During my time as Project Facilitator on an EU project I gained insight into particularities of project funding and management as well as rural tourism development. 

I have professional expertise in various sectors within the hospitality and tourism industries, and I use this during my teaching to bring various topics to life. I like to make storytelling part of the learning process and I am a great advocate of getting students actively involved in the learning journey. I believe we can all learn together and from each other, and you will never find me just lecturing.

My passion for travel stems from our family holidays to various places such as France, Italy, Germany and Denmark, and from my own travels to the US and further parts of Europe. I find it interesting to observe people on holiday and to figure out why they do the things they do. What drives people’s motivation for travelling and exploring? What role does hospitality play in shaping our travel experiences? My research interest is centred around finding answers to these questions and understanding different aspects of human behaviour related to hospitality and tourism experiences. An example of this is the study for London City Airport on “The Importance of ‘Bleisure’ Travel upon Worker Productivity and Well-being” that I contributed to as part of a research project. 

My enthusiasm for travel, my research into different aspects of hospitality and tourism, and my teaching career - are all a big part of who I am as a person and as a lecturer. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and expertise with our students and to being a part of their academic and professional journeys.

• Senior Lecturer