Peter Bolan

Dr Peter Bolan is Course Director for the Masters in Golf Management at Ulster University Business School’s Department of Hospitality Tourism and Events Management, and a Senior Lecturer in International Tourism Management (former Director of International Tourism).

Peter studied for an honours degree in geography at Ulster before going on to work in aspects of tourism, hospitality and sport for a number of years. Returning to academia he completed an MSc in Tourism Management at Ulster, then moving into a lecturing position in the area of international travel and tourism management. Peter subsequently undertook a second Masters degree in eTourism (University of Surrey) before then gaining his PhD in film/screen tourism (Ulster). He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Peter’s main research areas focus on golf tourism, film/screen tourism, digital tourism and food tourism as well as some pedagogic research on the use of digital technology (including AI) in teaching. He has published on all these areas in academic journals and leading tourism textbooks (winning a number of best paper awards at academic conferences), including research focusing on how golf tourism can act as a catalyst for coastal resort rejuvenation (through a case-study of The Open at Royal Portrush). 

Peter also engages regularly in consultancy work with industry (in line with his core research areas) and works closely with local community and business networks (he has been chair of a Northern Ireland Food Tourism network for the Causeway region, sits on the committee of the North Coast Armada Connection Group and has been a member of the Destination Management and Event Delivery Committee for the Irish Open Golf Championship).

Peter writes for a number of business and industry trade publications with regard to tourism and hospitality matters. He is also a regular speaker at tourism industry events, conferences and workshops.