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Anna Carr 2023 imageHead of Department
Co-Director, Centre for Recreation Research
Ngāpuhi, Ngati Ruanui, Ngāruahine

Office OBS 9.05
Office hours Wednesdays 2–3pm
Tel +64 3 479 8057
Email anna.carr@otago.ac.nz

Read more about Anna on the CRR Otago website

Background

Before academia Anna was owner-operator of two adventure tourism businesses. She worked in various NZ national parks for the Departments of Conservation and Lands and Survey.

From 2008 she has been co-director of the Centre for Recreation Research with Professor Brent Lovelock. From 2014–2020 she held a government Ministerial appointment to the Otago Conservation Board.

Anna is a member of the Canadian Mountain Network and affiliate of the University of Otago Bioethics Department. She has been a visiting researcher at University of Edinburgh (UK), Harstad Hogskollin and University of Stavanger (Norway), Wakayama University (Japan), Thompson Rivers University, University of Alberta, and University of Northern British Columbia (Canada).

She serves on the editorial boards of Tourism in Marine Environments, Journal of Ecotourism and the Journal of Heritage Tourism.

Research interests

Anna's research interests are focused on three areas:

  • Tourism and recreation in protected areas
  • Cultural landscapes
  • Indigenous/community tourism development

Current research projects

  • Royal Society New Zealand Marsden (2020–2024), "Bad nature": The social dimensions of invasive alien species and their management in New Zealand. Prof. B. Lovelock, PI. Anna is involved as an associate investigator with a three year Marsden project investigating the intersections between tourism/recreation, invasive species and ecosystems.
    Bad Nature research project
  • Assoc. Prof. C. Mason, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, and W. Snow, Nakoda First Nations, Indigenous Peoples and Mountain Parks, Canadian Mountain Research Network.

For further information please visit:

Completed research projects (last 5 years)

  • Co-investigator with Dr Courtney Mason, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, and William Snow, Nakoda First Nations, SSHRC Insight Development Grant, Canadian Government “Contested Boundaries, Indigenous Peoples, Tourism and Protected Areas in Canada and New Zealand”.  (2017–2019).
  • Associate Investigator with Primary Investigator Dr Anne Ford, Professor Glenn Summerhayes (Dept. of Anthropology and Archaeology), Nyssa Mildwaters (Otago Museum), “Promoting Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Tourism Development”, New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  (2017–2019).
  • Associate Investigator Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga The intergenerational reality for Māori Small and medium sized enterprises (SME): Building resilience of Māori SMEs for the future. Affairs and Trade. (2016–2020)

PhD supervision: current

  • Makoni Pulu (2025–) VSM and Disasters in Tonga (DMA Clark: Uele: Carr)
  • Soim Soimin (2025–) (Lovelock, Carr)
  • Fahmy Ilmawan (2025–) (Carr, Insch)
  • Eka Susanti (2024–) Contribution of Nature Tourism in Conservation Areas (Carr: Kahui 70:30)
  • Eska Sarinastiti (2023–) Integrated interpretation for sustainable marine mammal tourism, (Carr: Finkler 70:30), Indonesian Education Scholarship recipient
  • Spall, M. (2020–) Bad Nature, RSNZ Marsden, (Carr: Lovelock 50:50)

PhD supervision: completed

  • Dowsett, C, (2020–2025) Bad Nature, RSNZ Marsden, (Carr: Lovelock 50:50)
  • Mercede Shavandasht, Gender and geotourism (Carr, Toribian)
  • Nautiyal, R. (2019–2024) Yoga, wellbeing and destination development.
  • Rahmani, Z. (2019–2023)  Online retreats and wellbeing. University of Otago International Scholarship recipient.
  • Johansen, K. (2022) WOOFERS: Volunteer Tourism or Service Learning? An Examination of Sustainable Food Consumption and Alternative Food Network Participation Trends Pre and Post Experience (primary supervisor, Thompson Duncan 50:50)
  • Massacesi, C. (2021) Food Heritagisation and Tourism. Following the Cheese in the Italian Dolomites.
  • Arif Hoque, (2020) Community-based indigenous tourism, NGOs and indigenous poverty in Bangladesh.
  • Steve Parker (2020) Yoga experiences of New Zealand men.
  • Zhu, Lei (2020) Visual appeal: How the characteristics of photographs can affect science communication in Chinese national parks.
  • Prasetyo, N. (2019) Dive tourism and indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge; a case study of Raja Ampat Indonesia.
  • Kutzner, D. (2018) Climate Change and nature tourism sector responsiveness.
  • Hagen, S. (2017) Mountain Bike Affect Mud, Mayhem, Mountain Bikes and Moustaches.
  • Cavaliere, C. (2014), Agro-ecoforestry and ecotourism.
  • Whitney-Squire, K. (2014) The Role of Language in Sustainable Community - based on Aboriginal Tourism Development.
  • Ananayo, Jovel (2013) World Heritage Management and Stakeholder collaboration/perception – The Ifuago Rice Terraces, the Philippines
  • Boonabaana, B. (2012), Entrepreneurial women in community based tourism in Uganda, Lecturer at Makarere University, Uganda.
  • Carnicelli Filho, S. (2011) White-water rafting guides and emotional labour, now Lecturer at University of Western Scotland.
  • Chaderopa, C. (2011) Social Space and Grand Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, University of Otago international scholarship recipient. Lecturer at Waiareki Polytechnic.
  • Taylor, S. (2010) Mountain bikers and Destination Choice Theory, Researcher University of Highlands and Islands, Fort William.
  • Reis, A. (2010) Stewart Island wildlife tourism interactions, Post Doctoral Research Fellow Southern Cross University, Australia, 2011.
  • Amoamo, M. (2009) Cultural Tourism and Regional Identity, Awarded Post Doctoral Fellowship, Te Tumu, University of Otago, 2010–2012.
  • Haase, D. (2008) Monitoring Tourism in Antarctica, awarded December 2008 Academic Dean's List. Lecturer at University of Canterbury.
  • Grahn, A. (2011) Edu-cultural tourists in Africa, Lecturer at University of Stavanger.

Master's supervision: current

  • Eru Metcalfe (Marsden scholarship recipient), Sociocultural values for Coarse Fishing

Publications

Indiginous Tourism, Anna CarrWhitford, M. Ruhanen, A. and Carr, A. (Eds) Indigenous Tourism, Australia and New Zealand, Goodfellows Publications, forthcoming October 2017.

SustainableTourism_IndigenousPeoples_ACCarr, A., Ruhanen, L. & Whitford, M. (2016) "Indigenous Peoples and Tourism: The Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism", Journal of Sustainable Tourism. pp. 1047 - 1069.

Political_Ecology_ACMostafhanazad, M., Norum, R., Shelton, E and Thompson-Carr, A. (eds.) (2016), “Political Ecology of Tourism: Communities, Power and the Environment”, Routledge Contemporary Geographies of Leisure, Tourism and Mobilities Series.

Mountaineering_Tourism_ACMusa, G., Higham, J. and Thompson-Carr, A. (eds.) (2015), "Mountaineering Tourism", Contemporary Geographies of Lesisure, Tourism and Mobilities Series, Routledge: Oxon.

Publications

Dowsett, C. K. A., Carr, A., & Lovelock, B. (2026). Hunting and hauora: Pig hunters and poaka in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Geographer, 82, e70023. doi: 10.1111/nzg.70023 Journal - Research Article

Nautiyal, R., Albrecht, J. N., & Carr, A. (2026). Integrating yoga philosophy and tourism research: A reflexive methodological framework. Annals of Tourism Research, 118, 104177. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2026.104177 Journal - Research Other

Chen, X., Carr, N., & Carr, A. (2025). Playing and learning: Exploring parents’/guardians’ perspectives on busking as leisure. Loisir et Société / Society & Leisure. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/07053436.2025.2586425 Journal - Research Article

Mason, C. W., Teaurere, R., & Carr, A. (2025). UN International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous tourism and cultural revitalization: iImpacts, opportunities and collaborative approaches. Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism, 4, 1637322. doi: 10.3389/frsut.2025.1637322 Journal - Research Other

Chen, X., Carr, N., & Carr, A. (2025). Busking as accessible leisure and art: Audience perspectives. Leisure / Loisir. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/14927713.2025.2527066 Journal - Research Article

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