Staff Profile

Biography

Dr. Bella Vongvisitsin (She/her) is an Assistant Professor in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU). She received a PhD degree (Tourism Management) from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), fully funded by the Research Grants Council (The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship). She serves as Social Media Editor for the Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing.

Dr. Bella has led numerous development projects for international, national, and provincial tourism organisations, such as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS), Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Her work areas are related to community building and participation, destination management, policy planning and development, service design, and organizational development. She has also provided consultancy services to various service sectors, such as boutique hotels, restaurant groups, and international hospitals.

Dr. Bella's research areas include community-based tourism (CBT), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and start-up entrepreneurship. Her dedication to these fields is evident through her publications in top-tie journals, such as Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, and Journal of Travel Research. Additionally, she has contributed a knowledge transfer to the industry by establishing a social venture Inclusive Tourism Asia (recognised as a Top 8 Finalist of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund), serving as Co-Chair of Gender Diverse Travel Advisory Group (GTAG) for International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation, as well as Advisory Board Member for Travel Unity, a charitable organisation aimed at fostering inclusion in the world of travel.

Her achievements have been acknowledged through her receipt of the 2022 National Ardhanarishvara Award (ILGA Foundation under her Presidency) from Thailand's Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and Ministry of Justice, the 2025 PATA Face of the Future (Strategic Management), and the 2025 Travel Unity's Outstanding Academic Research Award.

Teaching Areas & Research Interests

• Urban tourism
• Community-based tourism
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Start-up entrepreneurship
• Health and medical tourism

Academic & Professional Experience

2022-23: Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, PolyU

2020-23: Co-founder & CEO, Inclusive Tourism Asia Limited & Innovative Travel Ally Limited (HK)

2021-22: Research Associate, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, PolyU

2017-20: Tutor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, PolyU

2014-17: Senior Researcher & Executive Assistant, Perfect Link Consulting Group Limited (Thailand)

2015-2016: Secretariat Coordinator, Pacific Asia Travel Association Thailand Chapter (Thailand)

2015-2016: Research Associate, College of Innovation, Thammasat University (Thailand)

2015: Research Assistant, Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (Thailand)

2014-2015: Research Assistant, Graduate School, Suan Dusit University (Thailand)

2012-2014: Assistant Business Development Manager, Worldwide Education Network Limited (Thailand)

2012: Education Counselor, Thai International Education Limited (Thailand)

Selected Publications

Book Chapters

• Vongvisitsin, T. B., & Wong, A. K. F. (2024). New perspectives of community-based tourism: A universal approach to tourism development. In Nunkoo R., Juwaheer, T. D. (eds.), A Research Agenda for the Social Impact of Tourism. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Wisansing, J., & Vongvisitsin, T. (2019). Local impacts of creative tourism initiatives. In Duxbury N., Richards, G. (eds.), A Research Agenda for Creative Tourism (pp. 122-136). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., & Wong, A. K. F. (2024). New Perspectives of Community-based Tourism: A Universal Approach to Tourism Development. In R. Nunkoo & T. D. Juwaheer (Eds.), A Research Agenda for the Social Impact of Tourism. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

Journal Articles

• Vongvisitsin, T. B., & Tung, V. W. S. (2025). Technology start-ups in tourism and hospitality: A networked social capital theory perspective from early-stage start-up founders. Tourism Management, 106, 104996.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., & Wong, A. K. F. (2021). Organisational change towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in hospitality and tourism: Managerial perspective. Tourism Management, 86, 104331.
• Ngwira, C. N., Tse, S., & Vongvisitsin, T. (2020). Constraints and negotiation strategies of solo female travellers to Africa. Tourism, Culture and Communication, 20(1), 35-47.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., Huang, W.-J., & King, B. (2024). Urban Community-based Tourism Development: A Networked Social Capital Model. Annals of Tourism Research, 106, 103759.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., Wong, A. K. F., Li, P., Pan, Y., & Ryan, C. (2024). Revisiting medical tourism research: Critical reviews and implications for destination management and marketing. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 33, 100924.
• Pruksorranan, N., Wisansing, J., & Vongvisitsin, T. (2018). Thai-ness and local wisdoms integration through food supply chain for tourism adding value and value creation approach. Journal of Modern Management Science, 10(2), 169-182.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., Wong, A. K. F., Alegre, B. R., Manner-Baldeon, F., & Tse, P. M. (2025). The sexual and gender normativities of servicescape: A queer social identity perspective. Annals of Tourism Research, 111, 103898.
• Vongvisitsin, T. B., Alegre, B. R., Wong, A. K. F., & Leung, Y. S. (2025). Gender-affirming health tourism: Transfeminine insights from a social identity perspective. Tourism Recreation Research, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2025.2477698
• Wong, A. K. F., & Vongvisitsin, T. B. (2025). LGBTQ+-friendly destination image scale: A multi-dimensional identity-based approach. Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875251383538

Selected Professional & Community Services

• Social Media Editor, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing
• Advisory Board Member, Travel Unity
• Co-Chair, Gender Diverse Travel Advisory Group (GTAG), The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation

Further Information

Link to Google Scholar page

Modified Date: 28 Dec, 2025
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