Professor

Program: Tourism Studies

Email: ro3185@mun.ca

Phone: 709 639-6535

Office: AS 2019

 

Credentials

PhD. KwaZulu-Natal University, South Africa

 

Research interests

Ecotourism management; Cultural and heritage management; Sustainable tourism development

 

Teaching

Introduction to Tourism; Tourism and Sustainability; Cultural and Heritage Tourism; Culinary Tourism; Special Interest Tourism

 

Representative scholarly contributions

Pepela, A. and Okech, R.N. (2026) Economic Sustainability of Tourism Dependent Livelihoods in Kenya. In T. Onifade (eds) Liu Institute Network for Africa (forthcoming).

Juma, O. A., Pepela, W.A. and Okech, R. (2025) The Adoption of Energy Management Practices (A Circular Economy Principle) and Its Influence on Customer Satisfaction among Star-Rated Hotels in Kenya – Management Studies 13 (5), 203-214.

Okech, R.N. and Timothy, D.J. (2023) Culinary Traditions and Heritage Foods in Africa. In D.J. Timothy (ed) Cultural Heritage and Tourism in Africa. Routledge (ISBN: 9780367722241). 

Okech, R.N. (2023) Managing Hunting as a Sustainable Tourism Recreational Activity in Atlantic Canada – International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Study 8(1),187–192.

Okech, R.N. (2022) Climate Change and Sustainability in Africa: Implications on Domestic Tourism (Edited Book - Lead Editor) Published by African Studies Centre Leiden, The Netherlands (ISBN: 978-90-5448-196-6). 

 

Current research projects and grants

Apitourism in Canadian Landscapes; Tourism Dialogues with Indigenous Communities; Hunting as a Recreational Activity in NL

 

Awards and recognitions

Outstanding Research Award, Costa Rica; Female Researchers Award, Croatia; Outstanding Reviewer Award, Singapore; Best Paper Award, Ghana; Engagement Award, Grenfell Campus; Grenfell Campus Student Union Teaching & Learning Award.

 

Memberships and affiliations

Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research (ATLAS); Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP); International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences (IISES)

 

Honours, graduate and post-graduate supervision

14 Honors completed

2 Masters completed

2 PhD. On going

4 Masters On going