BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development

BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Development

Introduction

Dr. Farhad Moghime

hfar is a distinguished researcher in the field of Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development. With a Ph.D. in  Physical  Education and Recreation from the University of Alberta, Farhad brings a wealth of expertise to his role. Prior to joining VIU in 2018, he served as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Alberta and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. Dr. Moghimehfar's research focuses on rural and nature-based tourism, with a particular emphasis on community tourism, resilience, and studies of human behaviour. His interdisciplinary approach extends to collaborations with researchers in physical education, community planning, and environmental psychology. As an Associate Editor for the Journal of Ecotourism and a contributor to leading journals, Farhad is actively engaged in shaping the discourse in his field.

 Teaching in the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management at the Faculty of Management at VIU, Dr. Moghimehfar imparts his extensive knowledge to the next generation of professionals in the field. His commitment to education is complemented by his practical experience in providing community and professional advisory services related to tourism, park planning, research design, and advanced data analysis in Canada and internationally.

 Research Activities

In his role as the BC Regional Innovation Chair, Dr. Moghimehfar leads a comprehensive research program aimed at enhancing the resilience of rural tourism communities in British Columbia, Canada. Over the course of five years, this program will undertake multiple projects to explore the adaptive capacity of various rural tourism communities and implement strategies to bolster their resilience in the face of changing dynamics and challenges.

 The research program will be characterized by its collaborative nature, involving stakeholders and utilizing a diverse range of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Projects will incorporate policy reviews, secondary data analysis, and big data analysis to comprehensively understand the adaptive capacity of rural communities. The ultimate goal of these projects is to generate actionable insights that will inform the development of recommendations and guidelines for enhancing community resilience and adaptive capacity through sustainable tourism development in rural Canada.

Contact

Phone: 250.753.3245 Local: 2259

Email: Farhad.Moghimehfar@viu.ca