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Susan Houge Mackenzie webpage photoOffice OBS 8.04
Tel +64 3 479 4293
Email susan.hougemackenzie@otago.ac.nz

Background

Susan joined the department in 2017. Her research integrates psychology and tourism by developing and applying positive psychology theories, such as flow, self-determination theory, and reversal theory, to adventure tourism, sport, recreation, and education contexts.

Her primary research focuses on:

  • Links between nature-based adventure and well-being for tourists, recreationalists, tourism guides, and/or host communities.
  • Links between outdoor adventure and motivation in physical activity and science education.
  • The regenerative tourism movement in Aotearoa, particularly in relation to community well-being
  • Translational research that applies theoretical developments into practical applications for the tourism industry.
  • Mixed methods (e.g. qualitative research, survey research, autoethnography, stimulated recall using head-mounted cameras)

Susan was previously a tourism practitioner in a diverse range of tourism industry roles globally (e.g. adventure guiding, tourism consulting) and she has worked alongside regional tourism organisations seeking to embrace regenerative planning and management processes.

Her applied projects include mental skill training workshops, developing management guidelines for adventure tourism operations, and consulting with government, non-profit, and tourism agencies, such as New Zealand riverboarding, the United States Forest Service, New Zealand Ministry of Tourism, and the History Channel. She serves on advisory boards for Tourism Central Otago, the Adventure Tourism Research Association, and the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership.

Learn more about Susan's research and projects:

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Susan_Houge_Mackenzie

Her work currently focuses on: nature-based adventure and well-being for tourists, guides, and hosts; regenerative tourism in Aotearoa; and refining the flow model of optimal experience. Susan's research seeks to translating theoretical developments into practical applications. Applications include using outdoor adventure to promote physical activity and science education; developing risk management frameworks and guide training for adventure tourism; mental skill training for youth athletes; and consulting with government, non-profit, and tourism agencies. She serves in advisory roles with the Central Otago Tourism Advisory Board, the Adventure Tourism Research Association, and the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, and as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership.

Publications

Lovelock, B., Houge Mackenzie, S., & Pung, J. M. (2026). Linking wellness tourism and community well-being within a regenerative tourism paradigm. Tourism Recreation Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/02508281.2025.2606533 Journal - Research Article

McKeeman, H., Houge Mackenzie, S., & Lovelock, B. (2026). Fostering community wellbeing via regenerative destination planning: An Aotearoa New Zealand case study. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 39, 101057. doi: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2025.101057 Journal - Research Article

Buckley, R., Underdahl, S., Cater, C., Pereira, E., Cooper, M.-A., Liddon, M., … Houge Mackenzie, S., & Pomfret, G. (2025). Matching destination difficulty and participant capability in outdoor recreation and tourism: role of third-party certifications for 15 activities in 52 countries. Journal of Outdoor Recreation & Tourism, 52, 100983. doi: 10.1016/j.jort.2025.100983 Journal - Research Article

Houge Mackenzie, S. (2025). Psychological well-being and adventure tourism: Implications for people and places. In G. Pomfret, A. Doran & C. Cater (Eds.), Routledge international handbook of adventure tourism. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003393153 Chapter in Book - Other

Houge Mackenzie, S. (2025). Cultivating psychological well-being in tourism organisations through need-supportive leadership: Opportunities for practice. In R. Hallack, M. J. Mustafa & C. Lee (Eds.), Leadership in tourism and hospitality. (pp. 62-79). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. doi: 10.4337/9781035326280.00012 Chapter in Book - Research

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