Page 5 - DUT Conduit Aug/Sept 2021

Dr Sucheran cho0ses to let adversity fuel her determination
Waheeda Peters
Dr Reshma Sucheran, Senior Lecturer at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Faculty of Management Sciences, shared her research findings on her two recent vital, independent research study projects within one of the hardest hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic – tourism.
The accomplished lecturer focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel, traveller perceptions and travel behaviour, as well as COVID-19: its impacts, preparedness and response in the accommodation sector in South Africa.
“Traveller behaviour is also influenced by the evolution of the pandemic, with emerging consumer trends that are reshaping travel. The accommodation sector is undeniably one of the hardest hit, with unprecedented declines in profit margins and massive job losses. The sector now needs to implement recovery strategies and measures to build a more resilient tourism economy post-COVID-19. These will allow a move towards more sustainable and resilient models of tourism development,” she said.
Her research can benefit DUT and the research community as it is transformative and fosters critical thinking at a time of crisis to expand the knowledge and understanding of the current situation.
Her first research project, titled: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Travel and Traveller Perceptions and Travel Behaviour, found that many respondents were very uncertain about travelling in the future and were likely to travel less frequently than before. Future travel plans will focus on local and regional destinations, preferably by car. Future travel activities include outdoor activities and adventure, nature and sightseeing, and taking road trips,” she said. Cruise travel, travelling on an airplane, group travel and attending sporting and other events were a no-no.
“Travellers also noted that the persuasive factors will include: the flexibility to change travel dates without penalties (due to COVID-19 uncertainty), reassurance that the tourism sector is taking adequate health and safety precautions, and a travel insurance policy that covers disruptions caused by health threats. The economic downturn, risk of infection, and uncertain border closings will impact travellers’ ability and willingness to travel in the future,” she added.
Her second project: COVID-19: Impacts, Pre- paredness and Response in the Accommodation Sector in South Africa, examined the economic/ financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
on the accommodation sector in South Africa, and the nature and extent of preparedness and response strategies that the sector has in place to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Sucheran’s study confirmed that the accommodation sector in South Africa has experienced severe economic impacts due to the pandemic, and a number of businesses face bankruptcy and permanent closure.
“It has also been substantially affected by job losses, reduced pay and staff being made redundant. Current concerns are cash flow, travel restrictions, guest cancellations, low consumer spending, and the overall economic uncertainty of the industry and the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, accommodation businesses were disappointed with the lack of government support. Despite various response measures and strategies, establishments were concerned about the future of their businesses due to the uncertainty of the pandemic,” she said.
Such a study will help to develop intervention measures to support establishments and recommend improved government and private sector relief funds, with specific attention being given to SMMEs,” she said.
Overall, and aligned to ENVISION2030, these projects indicate that the COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity to rethink how tourism interacts with our societies, other economic sectors and our natural environments, and is an opportunity to measure and manage it better. Also, it addresses the University intent: Our people will participate productively in the development of our region, country and the world.
She said that her journey with research was mapped from the time she started university when her first-born was one years old, with no social support and huge financial constraints. Once she obtained her Bachelor’s degree, she immediately commenced with her Honours degree and wrote her exams during the eighth month of her second pregnancy.
Two years later, she registered for a Master’s degree and joined DUT in September 1997. She completed her Master’s degree in 2002 under extremely challenging conditions: two very young children, lecturing 32 periods a week at DUT, and having no leave for her studies. After obtaining her Master’s in 2002, she decided to put all further studies on hold, as her elder daughter was approaching her teenage years. She resumed in 2010 when she registered for her PhD at UKZN, which she completed in 2013.
“Family has always been my key priority and continues to be, as my daughters and my 11-month-old grandson are still very much part of my daily life. Maintaining the fundamental
balance between family and career is extremely important to me,” she said.
Academic research is the ‘norm’ practised in her family: her elder daughter Arisha is a Civil Engineer in eThekweni Municipality. She has published papers on the role of green roofs in urban stormwater management in Durban. Her younger daughter Saijal Sucheran is a DUT graduate (2020) in Industrial Engineering. She is currently employed as a junior industrial engineer at Spar (KZN). She has presented at two international conferences and she is currently driving a project on food waste management for the Spar Group.
Prof Sucheran’s forthcoming plans in terms of research are to explore the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on other sectors of the tourism industry and, more especially, the recovery strategies in order to inform future planning and policy.
“Some of the research has already been published, and several publications are in the pipeline based on the CO VID-19 projects. I also plan to focus my research on the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technology in the future growth of tourism. The pandemic has signalled the emergence and implementation of contactless technology the tourism industry,” she said.
“Although contactless technology isn’t a new phenomenon, it has now become more of a necessity than a luxury. Linked to this is a project that I will be involved in called the Tourism/SMART Cities Programme, which is a joint project with DUT and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) on Re- vitalizing Economies through Tourism and the Development of Smart Cities,” she said.
“As academics, we should seize the opportunity to re-evaluate the fundamental role of research in this sector, and critically evaluate it as significant area of scientific inquiry. Researchers should consider topics that are purposeful and help address current and future challenges in the industry,” she said.
She is extremely grateful for all the institutional
support received, and more especially the Department of Research, Innovation and Engagement for their support and encouragement in her research endeavours.
“My expertise is in Environmental Management and Sustainable Tourism Development and Research Methodology. I am extremely passionate about research. Through the support of the Department of Research, Innovation and Engagement, I am now committed to accelerating my research output at DU T,” said Dr Sucheran.
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Pictured: Prof Reshma Sucheran.
“I was a mum first and then a student. I have, therefore, pretty much mastered balancing family, work, studies and a business over the past 31 years. Although many of these years were painful and very challenging, it has made me extremely resilient and adaptable. I believe that adversity should not prevent you from achieving your goals; I chose to let it fuel my determination.”
Achievements
• External examiner for postgraduate research
• Presented at numerous conferences, nationally
and internationally
• Published in a number of accredited journals (14
publications thus far)
• Supervisor of a number of postgraduate research.
• Chair – Department Research Committee
• President and member of the Golden Key
International Honour Society Alumni Committee
for KwaZulu-Natal
• Advisory member of the Social Science & Humanities
Research Association (SSHRA) (International)
• Member and Reviewer of the Global Research and Development Services (GRDS) (International)
• Member of the Global Association for Humanities
and Social Science Research (GAHSSR)
• Reviewer for the Tourism Review International Journal and African Journal of Hospitality,
Tourism and Leisure
• Owner and Director of an eastern wear boutique.
• Awarded the Women in Research and Innovation
Program Grant, DUT, July 2021
• Awarded the Women in Research and Innovation
Program Grant, DUT, June 2020
• Awarded a Scholarship from the Human Science
Research Council (HSRC) and the Mellon Foundation (USA) to attend Summer School Programme on Re- search Methodology and Statistical Data Analysis at the University of Michigan (1997, 1998 and 1999)
• Awarded the Golden Key International Honour Society Award (2013)
• Awarded the Best Paper Presenter at the 26th International Conference on Social Science and Humanities, Kuala Lumpur, November 2017
• Awarded the 2017 Honorary Fellow at Munich University of Applied Sciences, Department of Tourism