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Zheng Chris Cao

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Zheng Chris Cao

Dr, FHEA, CMBE

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3545-7313

Accepting PhD Students

Personal profile

Contact Details

Phone Number: +44 (0) 121 204 3607
Email: [email protected]
Room: SW906 (South Wing)

Appointment Booking: click here

Biography

Chris is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Economics at Aston Business School. He joined the school in September 2018. Prior to that, he held research positions at the University of Surrey and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. 

Chris is an applied economist. His research examines how geopolitical shifts and policy changes shape tourism flows, market interdependence and sustainable development. He also studies tourism demand forecasting and the broader economic consequences of tourism-led growth. Chris has published articles in top-tier journals such as Tourism Management, Annals of Tourism Research, and Journal of Travel Research. He is also an experienced reviewer, serving more than 20 leading journals in tourism, economics, and management. 

Beyond academic research, Chris has delivered a number of externally funded, interdisciplinary collaborative projects for policymakers at, for example, the European Commission, such as assessing the economic impact of accessible tourism in Europe and investigating the regional resilience of Europe’s tourism sector against terrorism. He has also shared research insights with the public through blog posts for the Centre for Business Prosperity (CBP).

On the education side, Chris is regularly invited to review economics, finance, and statistics textbooks for major publishers, including Pearson Education and Cengage Learning, and contributed case studies. 

Research Interests

Tourism economics
Tourism demand modelling and forecasting
Global strategy
Geopolitical risk
Regional development
Applied spatial- and macro-econometrics
Social network analysis

Teaching Activity

Current
BBM117L International Economic Environment
BS3326 Further Topics in Macroeconomics
BSK497 The Global Economic Environment
BSM947 Macroeconomics

Past
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Business Economics

Qualifications

PhD (Applied Economics), University of Surrey
MSc (Economics), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
BEcon (Finance), Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Employment

09/2018 - present: Lecturer, Aston Business School, Aston University
11/2015 - 09/2018: Research Fellow, University of Surrey
09/2009 - 11/2011: Research Assistant, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Membership of Professional Bodies

Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
CMBE, Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)
Member, International Association of Tourism Economics (IATE)
Member, American Economic Association (AEA)
Member, Royal Economic Society (RES)
Member, Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS)

Professional/editorial offices

Member of Editorial Board

 

Keywords

  • H Social Sciences (General)
  • GV Recreation Leisure

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  1. SDG 1 - No Poverty
    SDG 1 No Poverty
  2. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
  3. SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
    SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
  4. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  5. SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
    SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
  6. SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
    SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
  7. SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
    SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
  8. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  9. SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals
    SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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  • 9 Article
  • 2 Chapter
  • 2 Review article
  • 1 Conference abstract
View all 14 research outputs
  • 6 Editorial activity
  • 1 Types of External academic engagement - Membership of peer review panel or committee
View all 7 activities