Zilmiyah Kamble

Dr Zilmiyah Kamble is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality Management at James Cook University Singapore. Her research focuses on the sociology of tourism, with particular expertise in social and cultural sustainability, community-based tourism, tourism planning, and hospitality studies. Using qualitative and interdisciplinary approaches, she explores how tourism can foster community wellbeing, preserve cultural heritage, strengthen social cohesion, and promote equitable development, particularly in marginalised, post-conflict, and rapidly transforming destinations.

Dr Kamble completed her PhD in Tourism and Hospitality at Taylor’s University, Malaysia, where her doctoral research explored the role of tourism in fostering social cohesion in post-war regions of Sri Lanka. Prior to joining James Cook University, she held academic leadership and teaching positions in Malaysia, India, Seychelles, and the United Kingdom, in addition to gaining industry experience in the hospitality sector. These diverse experiences have shaped her international perspective on tourism development, hospitality education, and destination management.

Her research addresses a range of contemporary tourism challenges and opportunities, including community empowerment, tourism governance, cultural identity, collective memory, and tourism-led development. She has published in internationally recognised journals including Current Issues in Tourism, Tourism Review, Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, and Tourism in Marine Environments. Her recent work examines the social empowerment of artisanal fishing communities through dolphin-watching tourism in Indonesia, regenerative tourism development in the Singapore–Johor–Riau (SIJORI) region, the influence of digitalisation on museum visitor experiences and memory-making, and post-pandemic tourism behaviour.

At James Cook University Singapore, Dr Kamble contributes to academic leadership through her roles as Discipline Convenor and Subject Coordinator within the Tourism and Hospitality discipline. She has been actively involved in curriculum development, programme accreditation, quality assurance initiatives, and the design of industry-relevant learning experiences. She is also committed to mentoring students and emerging researchers and contributes to the supervision of postgraduate research students.

Dr Kamble actively engages with the broader academic and professional community through international research collaborations, scholarly service, conference participation, and invited presentations. She has received an ERASMUS teaching grant, facilitated international academic partnerships, and serves as a reviewer for several leading tourism journals. Her work seeks to advance tourism research and practice that supports resilient communities, strengthens cultural identity, and contributes to sustainable and regenerative development across the Asia-Pacific region.