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Michael O'Regan

Senior Lecturer in Events and Leisure, Bournemouth University
Michael O'Regan worked alongside the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland when he joined Gulliver - Ireland's Information and Reservation Service in 1997 after he completed his two-year research Masters at the University of Limerick. He joined Wicklow County Tourism, Ireland as Marketing Executive in 1997 for three years before starting a PhD programme at the School of Sport and Service Management, University of Brighton, UK which he completed in 2011. He spent four years in China, before joining Bournemouth University in 2015 as a Senior Academic.

Michael's research is focused on tourist, urban, historic, future, alternative, lifestyle, slow and cultural mobilities, as well as emergent cultural events. His PhD study, entitled ‘Backpacker Mobilities: The Practice And Performance Of Travellerscapes in a Global World’, supervised by Professor Peter Burns and Dr. Lyn Pemberton, opened up a series of questions about the processes by which distinct forms of tourism emerge, expressing themselves as flows with distinctly mobile patterns of consumption. Among the focus of my research has been the rise and fall of Couchsurfing.com, a tourism business that was an early adopter of the B Corporation certificate, and the role B Corporation status played as it dealt with a schism with its community of users.

Youth hostels face tough times – but they are perfect for authentic, spontaneous experiences

Oct 11, 2023 03:45 am UTC| Business

When the New Zealand branch of the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) collapsed in 2021 and the countrys 11 hostels were forced to close, staff and punters alike were shocked. General manager Simon Cartwright cited the...

B Corp certification won't guarantee companies really care for people, planet and profit

Oct 09, 2019 13:48 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

Weeks after the collapse of his restaurant group and the loss of 1,000 jobs, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver announced that he was creating an ethical B Corporation or B Corp, a sort of company certification designed to show...

Economy

Stock Futures Dip as S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs Amid Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions

U.S. stock index futures moved slightly lower on Wednesday evening after major benchmarks, including the SP 500 and Nasdaq Composite, closed at fresh record highs. Investors remained cautious as geopolitical tensions...

Oil Prices Rise as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Persist

Oil prices climbed during Asian trading on Thursday, supported by ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran and continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The lack of progress in diplomatic...

Gold Prices Edge Higher Amid Middle East Tensions and Ceasefire Uncertainty

Gold prices inched higher on Wednesday as investors balanced geopolitical developments in the Middle East with shifting market sentiment and a slightly stronger U.S. dollar. Spot gold rose 0.4% to $4,740.15 per ounce,...

New Zealand Labour Backs India Free Trade Deal, Boosting Chances of Parliamentary Approval

New Zealands opposition Labour Party has announced it will support the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with India, significantly increasing the likelihood of the deal passing through parliament. The decision comes...

Iran Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz as Oil Prices Surge

Tensions in the Middle East escalated after Iran seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, intensifying the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict and disrupting international oil supply chains. The...

Politics

U.S. Criticizes Airspace Denials to Taiwan President as China Influence Grows

The United States has raised concerns after several African nations reportedly revoked overflight clearances for Taiwans president, calling the move a misuse of international aviation systems and an example of growing...

Mexico Senate Seeks Answers on Deadly Chihuahua Crash Involving U.S. and Mexican Officials

A Mexican Senate committee has formally requested key officials from the state of Chihuahua to provide detailed information a fatal car crash that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. officials and two Mexican officials. The...

Argentina Proposes Electoral Reform to Cut Costs and End Mandatory Primaries

Argentinas government has introduced a sweeping electoral reform bill aimed at reducing public spending, increasing transparency, and tightening political party regulations. The proposal, submitted to Congress on...

Israeli Airstrike in Northern Gaza Kills Five Palestinians Amid Fragile Ceasefire

An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza has killed five Palestinians, including three children, according to local health officials, marking another deadly incident despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement. The strike...

Trump Administration Proposes New Rule to Limit Joint Employer Liability

The Trump administration has introduced a proposed rule that could significantly reshape how companies are held accountable for labor violations involving contractors and franchise workers. Announced by the U.S. Department...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Elon Musk Signals Intel 14A Chips for Tesla’s Terafab AI Semiconductor Venture

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk revealed new details about the companys ambitious semiconductor plans, confirming that the Terafab joint venture intends to leverage Intels advanced 14A chip manufacturing process....

Tesla Earnings Beat Expectations as EV Growth Holds Amid Robotics and AI Shift

Tesla reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter 2026 earnings, driven largely by resilience in its core electric vehicle business, even as the company continues shifting focus toward artificial intelligence, robotics,...

SK Hynix Reports Record Q1 Profit Surge Driven by AI Memory Chip Demand

SK Hynix Inc. (KS:000660) delivered a standout performance in the first quarter, reporting a dramatic surge in operating profit that exceeded market expectations. The South Korean semiconductor giant benefited...

Florida Launches Criminal Probe Into OpenAI Over FSU Shooting Incident

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday that the state has opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI and its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, following a deadly shooting at Florida State University last year. The...

Meta Expands AI Training With Employee Activity Tracking Tools

Meta is advancing its artificial intelligence strategy by introducing new internal tracking software designed to capture employee interactions on workplace systems. The initiative, known as the Model Capability Initiative...