RSM
Research School of Management
Tourism; Marketing; Consumer behaviour; Research methods; Evidence-based education; Management; Indigenous methods, Indigenous studies, post-colonialism, Tourism education; Entrepreneurship;
Patrick L’Espoir Decosta is an Associate Professor of Marketing and a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) supervisor. His research interests span international marketing, tourism, marketing, and evidence-based teaching, entrepreneurship and business venturing. In tourism, he focuses on tourism development in Indigenous communities from a postcolonial perspective, destination promotion and marketing, tourist behaviour, and critical approaches to tourism. In marketing, his work examines country-of-origin effects, the access-based economy, and value creation. He is also interested in how product geography can connect destinations with product associations, and he investigates ways to embed evidence-based practice and methods in curriculum development and teaching in Management Education more broadly. Patrick’s research has been published in leading academic journals including Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, International Marketing Review, Journal of Marketing Management, and Journal of Retail and Consumer Services. His contribution to practice includes serving as Quality Assurance officer for the Research School of Management, a role in which he strengthens the nexus between theory, practice, and research-led education ensuring the school's courses are aligned with TEQSA's requirements and AQF standards.
Research publications
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., Guo, H., Dann, S. & Gamage, A. (2025). Culturally attuned Sensoryscape for sustainable sports engagement: A framework for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Event Management, (Open Access). https://doi.org/10.3727/152599525X17640248309355 (A)
- Batool, I., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., Simmonds, H. & Gazley, A. (2025). The influence of lighting on perceived product size: The role of surface curvature and attention. Journal of Business Research, 200, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115615 (A)
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2025). The Paradox of empowerment: Adaptive preferences and performative justice for the cultural self-emancipation of the Indigenous communities in Nepal. In P. Torabian, R. Mowatt, B. Chew Bigby & F. Higgins-Desbiolles (Eds). “The Elgar Handbook of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Tourism.” The JEDI initiatives. ISBN: 978 1 03531 133 0
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2025). Crafting destination stories: enacting and sharing cultural memory for Indigenous tourism. Tourism Geographies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2025.2495175 .(A)
- Shrestha, R.K., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., & Whitford, M. (2025). Reimagining community-based Indigenous tourism: Insights from the traditional knowledge of Indigenous Newars of Nepal. Tourism Management, Vol., 108 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.105110 (A*)
- Shrestha, R.K., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., & Whitford, M. (2025). Creating authentic Indigenous tourism experiences. Annals of Tourism Research, Vol.110 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2024.103882 (A*)
- Shrestha, R.K., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., & Gaire, R. (2025). Conflict of Interests? Negotiating superstructures for value-co-creation at Indigenous heritage sites – The case of Patan, Nepal. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2024.2437611 (A)
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2025). Myths and Destination Identity: A Case of Newars from Patan, Nepal. In J. Lovell & N. Sharma (Eds.) “Magical Tourism and Enchanting Geographies: Storytelling, heritage, fantasy, and folklore”. London: Routledge https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003408475
- Shrestha, R.K., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Whitford, M. (2024). Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Socio-cultural values for sustainable tourism development: Insights from indigenous Newars of Nepal. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 33(1), pp. 143-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2024.2316298 (A*)
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2024). A socio-cognitive approach to multi-stakeholder collaboration for Indigenous Tourism Development: The case of Nepal’s Newars. Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875241271207 (A*)
- Yin, Z, Kong, H., Baruch, Y., L'Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Yuan, Y. (2024). Interactive effects of AI awareness and change-oriented leadership on employee-AI collaboration: The role of approach and avoidance motivation. Tourism Management, 105, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.104966 (A*)
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2024). ‘A place where I belong’- The ambiguous role of the outsider-within identity among Indigenous Gurung women tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2024.02.002 (A)
- Shrestha, R., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., & Shrestha, R. (2024). Creating value networks through a learning society for Indigenous women tourism entrepreneurs. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2022-0317 (A)
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2024). Mauritius. Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, (pp.664-665). Springer. Cham.
- Andéhn, M. & L’Espoir Decosta, Patrick J.N. (2023). ‘Negotiating with the juggernaut’: on agritourism and the paradoxes of market-driven conservation. In J.E. Mbaiwa, O.D. Kolawole, W.L. Hambira & E. Mogende (Eds.). Handbook on Tourism and Conservation. African Perspectives. Research handbooks in tourism series. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839106071
- Hemsley, B., Almond, B., Given, F., Darcy, S., L’Espoir Decosta, P., Dann, S., Carnemolla, P., Freeman-Sanderson, A., Debono, D. & Balandin, S. (2023). Craving inclusion: a systematic review on the experiences and needs of people with disability eating out. Disability and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2295006 (Q1)
- Sterrenberg, G. & L’Espoir Decosta, P. (2023). Identifying the crucial factors of e-government success from the perspective of Australian citizens living with disability using a public value approach. Government Information Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2023.101813 (A)
- Capezio, A. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2023). Evidence- Based Decision-Making and Practice in Organizations. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.9
- Leal Filho, W., Dibbern, T., Viera Trevisan, L., Coggo Cristofoletti, E., Dinis, M.A.P., Matandirotya, N., Sierra, J., Shulla, K., Buttriss, G., L’Espoir Decosta, P., Mbah, M.F., & Sanni, M. (2023), Mapping universities-communities partnerships in the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. Front. Environ. Sci. 11:1246875. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1246875 (Q1)
- Briner, R., Capezio, A. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (April 2022). Evidence-based management as a guiding framework for management education. In M. Fellenz, S. Hoidn and M. Brady (Eds.). “The Future of Management Education.” Routledge.
- Dale, N., L’Espoir Decosta, P.J.N. & Kelly, L. (2022). Transformative Experiences on School Excursion: Students as Catalysts for Sustainable Tourism. In H. Séraphin, (Ed.). “Children in Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.” Emerald, Ch. 8.
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, P. (2021). Developing capabilities for community collaboration and tourism product innovation in response to crisis: Nepal and Covid-19. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09669582.2021.2023164
- Andéhn, M., & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2021). “New Perspectives Welcome” – A case for alternative approaches to country-of-origin effect research. In N. Papadopoulos and M. Cleveland (Eds.). “Image, Marketing, and Branding of Places and Place-based Brands: Identity and Image.” Edward Elgar, (Ch. 9), pp.158-173
- Leedon, G., L’Espoir Decosta & Lu, V.N. (2021). Consuming the earth? Terroir and rural sustainability. Journal of Rural Studies, 87, 415-422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.09.030 (A*)
- Andéhn, M. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2020). Authenticity and Product Geography in the making of the agritourism destination. Journal of Travel Research, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0047287520940796 (A*)
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., Matus, S., Dale, N.F., & Wilson- Wünsch, B. (2020). Transformative Tourism Education: An evidence-based framework as best practice in the age of overtourism. In H. Séraphin and Anca C. Yallop (Eds). “Overtourism and Tourism Education: A strategy for sustainable tourism futures.” Routledge.
- John, P. K., Lear, E., L'Espoir Decosta, P., Gregor, S., Dann, S., & Sun, R. (2020). Designing a visual tool for teaching and learning front-end innovation. Technology Innovation Management Review, 10 (9), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.22215/TIMREVIEW/1386 (Q2)
- Wilson-Wünsch, B.R. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N. Patrick. (2019). Development of personal expertise in tourism and hospitality professions: cognitive knowledge, personality and learning style. In E. Koc (Ed.). “Emotional Intelligence in Tourism and Hospitality.” Boston: CABI.
- Andéhn, M. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2018). Re-imagining the country-of-origin effect: a promulgation approach. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 27(7). https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-11-2017-1666 (A)
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Andéhn, M. (2018). Looking for Authenticity in Product Geography. In J.M. Rickly and E.S. Vidon (Eds.). “Authenticity and Tourism: Materialities, Perceptions, Experiences,” Tourism Social Science Series, Vol. 24, pp. 15-31, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Eagar, T. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2018). The nomadic consumption community: the recursive role of space in community mobility. In The Consumption, Politics and Transformation of Community, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 34 (Issue 7-8), pp. 569-591. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1470101 (A)
- Wikström, S., & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2018). How is value created? Extending the value concept in the Swedish context. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 40, pp.249-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2017.10.010 (A)
- Dale, N.F., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Weir, B. (2017). Semantics of learning outcomes for a tourism degree across institutions, industry and governing bodies. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 30, pp. 15-21. https://doi-org.virtual.anu.edu.au/10.1016/j.jhtm.2017.01.009 (A)
- Andéhn, M. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., (2016). The Variable Nature of Country-to-Brand Association and its Impact on the Strength of the Country-of-Origin Effect. International Marketing Review, 33(6), pp. 851-866. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-05-2015-0137 (A)
- Ryu, J.S., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Andéhn, M. (2016). From branded exports to traveler imports: Building destination image on the factory floor in South Korea. Tourism Management, 52, pp. 298-309. https://doi-org.virtual.anu.edu.au/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.07.004 (A*)
- Zhang, C.X., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & McKercher, B. (2015). Politics and tourism promotion: Hong Kong’s myth making. Annals of Tourism Research, 54, pp. 156-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2015.07.003 (A*)
- L'Espoir Decosta, P. (2015). Mauritius, Tourism. In Jafari & H. Xiao (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Tourism, Springer, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_1-1.
- Nuryyev, G., Su, H.S., Decosta L., P. & Lo, C.C. (2015). Teaching Evaluation and students' perception of their grades: a game theory approach. The Journal of Social Sciences Research, 1 (7) pp. 86-93. (Q2)
- Giovanardi, M., Lucarelli, A., & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2014). Co-performing tourism places: The “Pink Night” festival. Annals of Tourism Research, 44, pp. 102-115. https://doi-org.virtual.anu.edu.au/10.1016/j.annals.2013.09.004 (A*)
- Wikström, S., Jonsson, H., & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2014). A clash of modernities: Developing a new value-based framework to understand the mismatch between production and consumption. Journal of Consumer Culture, April 4; https://doi-org.virtual.anu.edu.au/10.1177/146954051452819 (Q1)
- L'Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Grunewald, A. (2011). Logies of Tourismology: The need to include meta-theories in tourism curricula. The Journal of Teaching in Travel and Tourism. Special Issue: Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training in the Asia and Pacific Region 11(3), pp. 289-303. https://doi-org.virtual.anu.edu.au/10.1080/15313220.2011.597640 (B)
- Gao, W.B., Zhang, H. & L'Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2012). Postmodernist perspective on the phantasmal destination. Annals of Tourism Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2011.06.003 (A*)
- McKercher, Bob & L'Espoir Decosta, Patrick. (2007). The Lingering Effect of Colonialism on Tourism Movements. Tourism Economics, 13 (3), 453-474 https://doi.org/10.5367/00000000778149774622 (A)
Conference Papers
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., Waters, C., Gamage, A. & Dale, N. (2025 June). Balancing Cultural Preservation and Economic Development in Indigenous-led Tourism. AIATSIS Summit 2025 (Darwin)
- Nisha, N. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Andéhn, M. (2025 May). Sustainable overconsumption: The paradox of seduction and morality. International Social Marketing (ISM) conference 2025, Canberra, Australia.
- Wen, C. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2024 August). Accelerating the Digitalization of Automobile Retailing in China: A Multi-level Perspective on Impacts of COVID-19 on the Sector. In International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management (ICMSEM) (pp. 1133-1149). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2024 February). Developing creative tourism through community coalitions. Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) conference, Tasmania, Australia.
- Gebert-Persson, S., Geissinger, A., Laurell, C., L'Espoir Decosta, P., & Öberg, C. (2024). Market breaking, market shaking, market making and market shaping: How has the sharing economy idea travelled in tourism?. In IC-Share.
- L’Espoir Decosta J.N.P. & Shrestha, R.K. (2024 June). Decolonial Grounded Theory for Indigenous Research; Qualitative Research Methods Virtual Roundtables at Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), Burlington, VT, USA. DOI 10.7275/54993
- Shrestha, R.K. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2023). Sustainability in Indigenous Tourism: A Systematic Review. Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) conference, Tasmania, Australia.
- Shrestha, R. K., Decosta, J. N. P. L. E., & Whitford, M. (2022, January). Creating authentic indigenous tourism experiences: A motivational perspective. In CAUTHE 2022 Conference Online: Shaping the Next Normal in Tourism, Hospitality and Events: Handbook of Abstracts of the 32nd Annual Conference: Handbook of Abstracts of the 32nd Annual Conference (pp. 69-69). Council for Australasian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE).
- 9.L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., Eagar, T. & Zhang, X. (2019). When romance destroys: Tourists’ lovelock practices and the bridges of Paris. CCT 2019 Conference, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, July 19 (Paper presentation by Toni Eagar)
- 1Bettany, S., Higgins, L., Hamilton, K., Eagar, T., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Zhang, X. (2019). Enshrining Pooh bears, padlocks, and petitions: the things people leave behind. Paper 49. CCT 2019 Conference, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, July 19.
- Leedon, G., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. & Lu, V.N. (2019). The future of Terroir: an abstract. Marketing opportunities in a changing global marketplace. Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference (AMSAC)
- Zhang, Z., Eagar, T. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2018). Branding love: lovelocks as a romantic sacrifice ritual. ANZMAC, December 2018, Adelaide, SA.
- Eagar, T. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2018). Liminality and Hyperreality in Celebrity Consumption. ANZMAC, December 2018, Adelaide, SA.
- Eagar, T. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2017). The role of space in consumption community mobility. ANZMAC 2017, Melbourne, VC.
- Giovanardi, M., Lucarelli, A., & Decosta, P. L. E. (2016). Teaching city branding: Involving students through game-based learning. In Conference Proceedings Of The Inaugural Conference of the International Place Branding Association (pp. 173-174).
- Phillips, D., L'Espoir Decosta, P., & Terwiel, F. A. (2016). Workshop: Small Spaces of Care: The Vaccine for Neoliberal Ideas in Service Education. Vancouver, Canada
- Ryu, J.S Andéhn, M. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2014, July). The effect of product image on country image: the case of South Korea. Global Marketing Conference, Singapore. https://db.koreascholar.com/Article/Detail/271788
- Giovanardi, M., Lucarelli, A. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2014). Challenges in destination branding: a cross-case study of three Italian tourist destinations. 4th International Conference on Tourism Management and Related Issues, EIASM,
- Nilsson, M., L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P., & Östrom, A. (2012). School meals: To develop trust and appreciation. 5th European Conference on Sensory and Consumer Research, Bern, September 9-12. “A sense of Inspiration,” Elsevier.
- L’Espoir Decosta, Patrick. (2008). Archival Research Methods in the Study of Tourism. 13th Annual Graduate Education & Graduate Student Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism, January 3-5, 2008; Orlando, Florida
Book Reviews
- L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2017). Book Review: Travel and Transformation. Int. J. Tourism Policy, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 169- 171.
- Dale, N.F. & L’Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2017). Editorial–Perspectives to implementing threshold learning outcomes in tourism, hospitality and events education. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 30, 1-3.
- L'Espoir Decosta, J.N.P. (2011). Western women, Eastern men [Review of the book Sex, tourism and the postcolonial encounter: Landscapes of longing in Egypt]. Tourism Geographies. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14616688.2011.609903
- Decosta, P.L. (2009). Book Review: New perspectives in Caribbean tourism. Int. J. Tourism Policy, Vol. 2, Nos. 1/2, pp.151–154.
Research engagement and outreach
Director of Accreditation, Centre for Evidence-Based Management (CEBMa)
Editorial Board:
Journal of Travel Research
Annals of Tourism Research
Newspaper mentions in Tourism related articles:
The effect of Trump on Tourism
The election of Donald Trump might divert some holidaying Australians to Canada, but it won’t come close to the impact of the Bali bombings or the Fukushima nuclear disaster on Australians’ getaway plans, according to tourism researchers. Dr Patrick L'Espoir Decosta from the Australian National University believes there may be a short-term reaction from some, but that tourists typically don't hold grudges. By Jackson Gothe-Snape
Moon party over Thailand tourism boom
After a decade of booming growth in Australians visiting Thailand, tourists are now choosing alternative destinations. An increase in accommodation prices due to demand from a growing number of Chinese tourists has also made the destination less attractive for budget-conscious Australians, according to Dr Patrick L'Espoir Decosta from the Australian National University. By Jackson Gothe-Snape
Record arrival of Chinese tourists
Chinese tourists drive tourism record, more than two arrivals per minute Dr Patrick L'Espoir Decosta from the Australian National University told SBS News in January that years of work positioning Australia as an attractive travel destination for overseas visitors is being rewarded as growing wealth in China and India drives tourism spending. By Jackson Gothe-Snape
Ein Platz an der Sonne (A place in the Sun)
Dem widerspricht L’Espoir Decosta, der an der Australian National University lehrt. »Menschen reisen ja nicht mit kolonialer Absicht, auch wenn ihre Haltung und ihr Verhalten gegenüber den Menschen in den bereisten Ländern manchmal an koloniale Zeiten erinnern«, meint er. Decosta plädiert deshalb für mehr Sensibilität der Reisenden. By Elisa Rheinheimer-Chabbi
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Supervision
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and MPhil (Master of Philosophy) - Awards and current students
| Name | Title of Research Thesis | Status | |
| 1. | Tyler-Parker, Garrett | Brewing Regional Growth: The Producer and Place Relationship in Regional Craft Beer | Awarded Dec' 2025 |
| 2. | Potocnjak-Oxman, Camilo | Entrepreneurship as Venture Design: Unravelling the Journey from Opportunity Artifact to Ecosystem Impact | Awarded Feb' 2025 |
| 3. | Seyrl, Christopher | An organic approach for the delineation of Foreign Product Avoidance | Awarded Dec' 2024 |
| 4. | Nisha, Nabila | Reconciling materialism and Anti-consumption – A Grounded Approach to the Co-existence of Solid-Liquid Consumption in Fashion Rentals | Awarded January 2024 |
| 5. | Shrestha, Roshis Krishna | An Indigenous Wisdom Framework to Sustainable Collaborative Indigenous Tourism Development: The Case of Nepal's Newars | Awarded Dec' 2023 |
| 6. | Batool, Itrat | Understanding the role of lighting and curvature on size perceptions in retail marketing. A gestalt perspective | Awarded July 2021 |
| 7. | Sterrenberg, Gary | A conceptual framework for evaluating the success of e-government from the viewpoint of citizens living with disability in Australia: An Interpretive Multiple Case Study Approach | Awarded Sept' 2020 |
| 8. | Weir, Brian University of Canberra |
Policy responses to climate change in the Australian tourism industry: The case of Canberra ACT | Awarded 2018 |
| 9. | Merikhi, Elham | Project Evaluation and Selection: A Risk-Return Perspective | Under examination |
| 10. | Dhawan, Puja | Internal branding in the health sector | Post-Confirmation |
| 11. | Xu, Zhejing | Informal Entrepreneurship | Post-Confirmation |
| 12. | Uddin, Md. Kafil | The role of social intermediaries in assembling livelihood capitals for the resilience of rural micro-entrepreneurs at the Base of the Pyramid | Post-Confirmation |
| 13. |
Mounsmie, Sarahjahn |
An evaluation of cabin crew members’ level of alertness during short haul operations: the case of Air Mauritius | Post-Confirmation |
| 14. | Mitchell, Benjamin | Indigenous place-based innovation | Pre-Confirmation |
Teaching
Current Teaching:
MKTG 7260 Marketing Management (Semester 1)
MKTG 7023 Service Marketing (Convenor)
Previous Teaching:
MKTG8 8006 Management Research Methods
MKTG7060 Applied Market Research
MKTG 7001 Marketing for Leaders (MBA)
MKTG 7260 Marketing and stakeholder communications
MKTG 7001- Marketing (Tsinghua)
MKTG 2003 Advertising – an Integrated Marketing Communications perspective
MKTG2001- Marketing Research