Dr Cathy Guthrie PhD FTMI FTS

HDC's Tourism Research Expert

Cathy’s previous and current consultancy projects include tourism training needs analyses within Catalonia, Italy, Malta and Turkey (2008) and the UK, Estonia and Iceland (2006), tourism business audit and options appraisal in the North East of England (2008), a business development options appraisal for a country estate in Scotland (2004), and a Tourist Information Centre network audit and development strategy for Northumbria Tourist Board (2003).

Cathy has recently completed and been awarded a PhD, based on her research into visitor experience and its impact on destination image.

In 2005, she achieved a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods. Her MSc research focussed on the impact of information and communications technology on the marketing role of Tourist Information Centres, in the course of which she carried out an audit of tourism accommodation businesses in Fife and Angus and Dundee Tourist Board areas.

Cathy has fourteen years experience of working in tourism destination management between 1987 – 2002, first at Hambleton District Council and, from 1995, as Tourism Manager at Darlington Borough Council where her achievements included developing and implementing the Darlington Tourism Strategy, the expansion of Darlington’s Heritage Open Days participation, initiating the Darlington Orange Festival, as well as working on numerous Tees Valley wide projects. She is a former secretary of the Captain Cook Tourism Association.