Dr Johnnel Smith

Dr Johnnel Smith is a tourism, hospitality, marketing and international business academic, published author and industry practitioner. She has been a lecturer in these fields for over 17 years with universities in Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and the Caribbean, receiving multiple awards and commendations for her high-impact teaching and student learning experiences.

She earned her Doctorate at Griffith University in Australia and holds a Master and Bachelor of Science degrees in Tourism Management from the University of the West Indies. Johnnel has published research and academic articles in prominent international journals and books and presented at international academic and industry conferences. Her expertise and scope of research areas include Tourism and Crisis Management, Destination Marketing, the Cruise Industry, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

She has been featured on 7News Australia, ABC (Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Darwin), as well as the Courier Mail. She has received Fellow (FHEA) status with Advance HE (Higher Education Academy) and is a member of the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE) and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

In addition to her achievements in academia, she has also worked extensively in industries such as FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), pharmaceutical, tourism and service industries with international brands such as Nestlé, Merck MSD, Sandals Resorts International, and Hilton Hotels.

As a tourism, marketing and events practitioner, she has worked alongside and facilitated notable, star-studded projects in the USA and the Caribbean such as:

• James Bond film No Time to Die (2019) – filming sites in Jamaica and Cuba.
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Sharing Economy Project (2018).
• Jamaican delegation to the Commonwealth Games, Olympics/ParaOlympics (2018, 2014).
• Music festivals headlined by Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Robin Thicke, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Toni Braxton, Chakka Khan, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Chris Brown, and Dianna Ross.
• The Bachelor USA TV Show with Ben Higgins (2016).
• Official visit of former President of the United States Barack Obama to Jamaica (2015).
• Le Diner en Blanc, Kingston (2015).
• Leadercast Worldwide Leadership Simulcast (2014) with former USA First Lady Laura Bush, Archbishop Desmond TuTu, and Simon Sinek.
• Prince Harry of Wales and the Archbishop of York official visits to Jamaica (2011) (via the Jamaica Tourist Board).
• The ‘Usain Bolt One-Love Jamaica’ campaign 2012 (via the Jamaica Tourist Board).
• Cricket World Cup (2007).

See research activities.