Faculty of Social Sciences

Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management

Dr. Sherma Roberts

Senior Lecturer in Tourism

Programme Coordinator - MSc. Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Dr. Sherma Roberts is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality Management in the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management and the Acting Director of the School for Graduate Studies and Research. Despite a successful teaching career at a London university, she felt the pull to return to the Caribbean region to share her expertise, and made the move to the Cave Hill Campus in 2005.  Dr. Roberts has been instrumental in raising the profile of tourism education in the Barbados and the OECS.  Among other initiatives, she spearheaded a Disney internship programme for tourism students, the first ever UWI International Tourism Conference, the creation of opportunities for students from the OECS to pursue tourism degrees at the Cave Hill Campus, the development of a suite of Tourism Masters programmes that are very relevant to regional needs and the hosting of international tourism academics and top tier tourism practitioners in the classroom to ensure that students had much needed exposure to the dynamics of the field of tourism and hospitality. 

Dr. Roberts has also contributed to the development of tourism education at a regional level. She was a part of the three member team of tourism experts specially commissioned to developed the assigned text (Contemporary Caribbean Tourism: Concept and Cases)  for the CSEC qualification in Caribbean Tourism, and recently sat on the panel to develop the syllabus for the CAPE qualification in Tourism Sudies. 

Dr. Roberts' expertise is also  being shared at the policy level.  A  Tobagonian by birth, she has served as the Chair of the Tobago Tourism Agency since inception. She has also held the posts of Chair of the Tourism Advisory Council in Barbados and Deputy Chair of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority.  Dr. Roberts was also instrumental in developing the participatory framework for the BarbadosTourism White Paper (2012-2021).

She has lent her voice to public discourse on Caribbean tourism  through speaking engagements and editorial pieces. Dr. Roberts is published in professional peer reviewed journals and has two books with Routledge, UK. To relax, she likes to travel, walk on the beach and host limes for friends and family. 

Academic Qualifications

  • PhD. Sustainable Tourism Development, Brunel University, UK (2004)
  • M.Sc. Tourism Planning & Development (Distinction), University of Surrey, UK  (2000)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (1998)
  • BA History with Social Sciences (Hons.) The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine  (1994)

 

Undergraduate Courses

  • TOUR 2000 International Tourism
  • TOUR 3000 Tourism Management
  • TOUR 3002 Tourism Marketing
  • TOUR 3006 Independent Research Project (Coordination)

Postgraduate Courses

  • TOUR 6030 Tourism Destination Management
  • TOUR 6040 Sustainable Tourism
  • TOUR 6120 Resort Hotel Development and Operations
 

Supervision

  • PhD Supervisor, Jennifer Barrow – 'Transport Policy in the Caribbean' – in progress.
  • Doctor of Business Administratrion Supervisor for Akiba Reid. Topic: HIV/AIDS and Human Capital and Economic Development- Selected cases from the hospitality industry in the Commonwealth Caribbean – Successfully completed in 2012.

Academic Responsibilities

  • Deputy Dean-Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences (2019 – present)
  • Coordinator, M.Sc. Tourism Programmes
  • Member, Editorial Board of the Journal of Eastern Cartbbean Studies (2014- present)
  • Member, Campus Committee on Examinations  (2014 – present) 

Research Areas

  • Sustainable Tourism
  • Tourism Planning and Development
  • Community Participation in Tourism
  • Human Resource Issues in Tourism
  • Risk and Disaster Management 

Selected Publications

  • Roberts, S (2023) Absorb, adapt or transform? An exploratory analysis of small tourism businesses’ resilience strategies In: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on COVID-19 and the Caribbean, Volume 1: The State, Economy and Health. Roberts, S. et al (eds). Switzerland: Palgrave-Macmillan. pp. 219-248.
  • Williams, A. and Roberts, S (2023) An analysis of residents’ affinity for tourism and tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic: the Barbadian experience. In: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on COVID-19 and the Caribbean, Volume 1: The State, Economy and Health. Roberts, S. et al (eds). Switzerland: Palgrave-Macmillan. pp. 321-348.
  •  Roberts, S. (2023) Resident attitude to domestic tourism in a core-periphery island context In: Sun Lust to Sun Plus. Cameron, A. and Jordan-Miller, L. (eds). Jamaica: UWI Press. Pp. 231-253.
  • Spencer, A., Lewis-Cameron, A., Roberts, S., Walker, T., Watson, B. and McBean, L. (2023) Post-Independence Challenges for Caribbean Tourism Development: A Solution-Driven Approach through Agenda 2030. Tourism Review Vol. 78 (2), 580—613.  DOI: 10.1108/TR-01-2022-0049. 
  • Wolf, F., Moncada, S. , Surroop, D., Shah, K., Raghoo, P., Scherle, N., Reiser, D., Telesford, J., Roberts, S.,  Havea, P., Naidu, R. and Nguyen, L. (2022) Small island developing states, tourism and climate change. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. Published online. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2112203.
  • Roberts, S. (2022) Socio-cultural sustainability and the small tourism enterprise. Tourism & Hospitality Research Vol 23 (3), 285-297. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F14673584221093537.
  • Roberts, S. (2022)  Demand and supply perspectives on diaspora tourism: the case of Guyanese in Toronto. Anatolia Vol 33 (2), 197-209. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2022.2040912
  • Roberts, S. (2021) Conceptualizing resilience in  small island states. In Managing Crisis in Tourism: Resilience Strategies from the Caribbean, Switzerland: Palgrave- MacMillan, pp. 33-64.
  • Roberts, S., Best, M. and Cameron, A. 2015. Contemporary Caribbean Tourism: Concepts and Cases.  Jamaica: Ian Randle.
  • Roberts, S., 2014. Assessing the potential of diaspora tourism: A conceptual approach. Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studies 37 (3 & 4), pp.115-132.
  • Phillips, R. and Roberts, S. (eds.) 2012. Tourism, Planning and Community Development. New York: Routledge.
  • Roberts, S., 2011. An exploratory analysis of factors mediating community participation outcomes in tourism. Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society 42 (3) pp. 377-391.
  • Roberts, S. and Tribe, J. 2008 Indicators of sustainability for Small Tourism Enterprises – An Exploratory Perspective. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16 (5), pp. 575-594.
  • Roberts, S. & Tribe, J. 2005 Exploring the economic Sustainability of the small tourism enterprise: A Case study of Tobago. Tourism Recreation Research 30 (1), 55-72.

Selected Conferences

  • Roberts, S. 2014. Factors impacting absence behavior: The case of an Antiguan all-inclusive. Paper presented at the 3rd International Tourism Conference, Tourism and Innovation: Re-inventing, Revolutionising, Transforming. Mona School of Business and Management, Montego Bay, Jamaica 9-11 November 2014. 
  • Roberts, S. 2013. Small tourism enterprises and environmental sustainability: A developing country perspective. Paper presented at the Shrinking the Global Divide: Synergy, Services and Sustainability. College of the Bahamas in collaboration with Cornell University and the University of Delaware. Atlantis Paradise Resort, Nassau Bahamas, 18-20 September. 
  • Roberts, S. 2013. Small tourism businesses as conduits for sustainable tourism: A Caribbean perspective. Paper presented at the 1st International conference on Tourism and Pro-Poor Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean: Comparative History and Policy Analysis. Modesto Maidique Campus, Florida International University 4-6 April, 2013. 
  • Roberts, S. 2012. Social media and destination marketing competitiveness. Paper presented at the Islands of the World Conference XH. Tortola, British Virgin Islands, 29 May- 1 June 2012. 
  • Roberts, S. 2011. Socio-cultural sustainability and the small tourism firm. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference: Special Interest Tourism and Destination Management. Kathmandu, Nepal, 27-30 April, 2011. 
  • Roberts, S. 2011. Factors mediating community participation outcomes. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference: Special Interest Tourism and Destination Management. Kathmandu, Nepal, 27-30 April, 2011. 
  • Roberts, S. 2010. Stimulating diaspora tourism as a niche for Caribbean tourism: the case of Guyana and Toronto. Paper presented at the 8th International Conference of World Association for Sustainable Development Towards Epistemic Sovereignty: (Re) thinking development in a changing political economy. Saint Lucia, 22-24 November, 2010. 
  • Roberts, S. 2010. Tapping into the potential of diaspora tourism. Panelist at Innovation Nations: Exploring Strategic Opportunities in CanadianCaribbean Relations – a research forum hosted by the Canadian International Council, Centre for Trade Policy and Law and Carleton University and University of Ottawa, Toronto Canada, 19-20 October 2010. 
  • Roberts, S. 2010. Unearthing new gold: The potential of the Canadian diaspora market for Guyana. Paper presented at the Caribbean Studies Association XXXV Annual Conference, The everyday occurrence of violence in the cultural life of the Caribbean. St. Peter, Barbados, 24-28 May 2010. 

Areas of Expertise

  • Sustainable Tourism
  • Tourism Strategy, Planning and Development

UWI  Service 

  • Chair, 4th Caribbean-International Tourism Conference – Navigating the destination of the future. Conference was a collaboration between UWI, Caribbean tertiary institutions and international universities. Cave Hill Campus  (December 11-13, 2019)  
  • Chair, Department Research Day  (2013)
  • Representative, Panel for the Development of CAPE Tourism Studies Syllabus, Caribbean Examinations Council  (2011-2012)
  • Member, Scientific Committee for 2nd International Tourism Conference , St. Augustine Campus, UWI, Trinidad (2011-2012)
  • Chair, 2nd International Tourism Conference –Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries: Exploring the Linkages,  St. Augustine Campus, UWI,  Trinidad (18-21 January 2012).
  • Chair, 1st International Tourism Conference – Beyond the boundary: Creating new epistemologies. Conference was a collaboration between UWI and international universities. Cave Hill Campus, (8-9 December, 2009).

Public Service
Government

  • Chair, Tobago Tourism Agency (2017- Present)
  • Deputy Chair, Barbados Tourism Product Authority (2015 – 2018)
  • Member, Selection Committee for Tourism Master Plan Consultants, Ministry of Tourism  (2010)Lead in the Development for the consultations on the Tourism White Paper for Barbados, Ministry of Tourism  (2009 – 2010)
  • Chair, Tourism Advisory Council, Ministry of Tourism, Barbados  (2009 – 2015)
Caribbean Examinations Council

  • Chief Examiner, CAPE Tourism (2012)