When most of us travel, we lose ourselves in the moment – captivated by the colours of stunning scenery, caught up in the buzz of unfamiliar city streets, swept up by the thrill of new experiences.
But beneath the surface of every destination lies a carefully crafted image, a vision that shapes how we feel, what we notice, and even how we behave.
Why do certain destinations seem to invite young travellers to take risks? How can governments and tourism marketers change these perceptions to discourage unsafe behaviour? And what role do travel influencers play – knowingly or not – in shaping the way we see these places?
These are the questions that fascinate Yufan Liu, a PhD candidate at UQ.
As a passionate traveller herself, Yufan began noticing subtle patterns in how destinations are portrayed online and how young tourists respond. That spark of curiosity led her to a multidisciplinary research project that explores the emotional drivers behind risky tourism behaviour.
I chose UQ for my PhD because of its strong academic environment and the exceptional support it offers to research students. There are workshops and seminars running almost every day, which help us build essential research and professional skills, and provide opportunities to engage with experts across disciplines.
Measuring emotional reactions to risky travel content
Yufan’s research explores how the content of social media influencers can shape the way young people perceive destinations and influence their likelihood of engaging in risky behaviours when visiting those places. Her studies focus particularly on Bali, a destination actively working to reduce unsafe behaviour among tourists.
To better understand the role influencers play in this phenomenon, Yufan conducts lab-based experiments to track emotional responses in real time.
“I’m using biosensors – specifically the Shimmer device – to measure skin conductivity and track emotional arousal in young tourists as they watch non-official travel videos created by influencers,” says Yufan.
“This approach aims to uncover why young tourists perceive certain destinations as places for risky behaviour, even when those destinations are actively trying to discourage it.”
By combining psychophysiological methods with behavioural science, Yufan aims to uncover why destinations like Bali are commonly (and unwillingly) seen as playgrounds for risky behaviours such as:
- thrill-seeking activities, like cliff diving and sliding down waterfalls
- driving-related risks, such as speeding and driving under the influence
- party-related risks, including using illegal drugs and having unprotected sex
- anti-social behaviours, like bullying other tourists or mocking locals at attractions and in public spaces.
Yufan hopes her research will empower such places to combat and eventually reverse these perceptions.
“My findings will help destinations like Bali more effectively manage their image and design targeted campaigns that attract the right market segments while discouraging those more prone to risky tourism behaviour,” she says.
“Ultimately, this can enhance both the safety and overall experience of visitors – especially young travellers.”
Yufan’s collaborative PhD experience
One of the greatest strengths of Yufan’s PhD experience has been the interdisciplinary collaboration that supports her research.
“One thing I truly appreciate is UQ’s strong encouragement of multidisciplinary research,” she says.
“Although I’m based in the tourism discipline, my supervisory team includes expertise beyond tourism. One of my supervisors, for example, has a psychology background, which enriches my research in behavioural science and psychophysiological methods.
Yufan is co-supervised by three academic mentors, each offering a unique perspective:
- Dr Jie Wang, Yufan’s primary adviser and a prolific researcher in risk, crisis and disaster management in tourism and hospitality
- Associate Professor Gabby Walters, a tourism marketing expert whose work has helped destinations enhance and repair their public image
- Dr Laura Ferris, a Senior Research Fellow in the UQ School of Business and an Affiliate of UQ’s Centre for Research in Social Psychology.
“This combination has allowed me to approach my research questions through the lens of tourism studies, behavioural science, and psychophysiological methods – an integration that wouldn’t be possible within a single discipline,” says Yufan.
“Their diverse expertise has helped me develop a more well-rounded and rigorous approach to studying risk communication and tourist behaviour.”
The multidisciplinary nature of UQ’s research community has also enabled Yufan to use technology and resources she didn’t anticipate when she first started.
“UQ’s collaborative environment has given me access to resources like the UQ Business School’s Behavioural Science Lab, which is considered cutting-edge in experimental research,” she says.
“I first received training as a participant, and now I serve as the lab’s administrator. In this role, I support researchers across different faculties, including Business, Economics and Law (BEL), Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), and the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.”
“This gives me hands-on experience working across disciplines, developing transferable skills, and broadening my academic network.”
Yufan’s supervisors (Jie, Gabby and Laura) all joined her at the 2024 UQ Three Minute Thesis, where she was a finalist
Collaborating with industry
Yufan has also benefited from strong encouragement to engage with industry, which has helped her translate academic research into tangible impacts.
“Through placements, collaborative research with industry partners, and participation in industry-focused seminars, I’ve had the opportunity to apply my research in real-world contexts,” she says.
“These experiences have deepened my understanding of industry needs and helped ensure that my work makes a meaningful contribution beyond academia.”
Some highlights of her industry engagement include:
- her placement at the Queensland Department of Tourism and Sport (now part of the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation), where she contributed to tourism projects, gained valuable insight into how government departments operate, and even won an internal award for one of the projects she worked on
- her collaboration with BUPA Aged Care and Olive Express, where she helped collect biometric data to measure the emotional responses of aged care residents experiencing immersive virtual train journeys – a project to enhance wellbeing through tourism-inspired storytelling
- fieldwork during Schoolies on the Gold Coast, where she worked alongside academic staff and students from the School of Psychology as part of a multidisciplinary study of large youth gatherings.
What led Yufan to her PhD?
For Yufan, the path to a PhD didn’t begin in a lecture theatre – it began while she was travelling, a lifelong love of hers.
“During my trips, I started to notice recurring issues, such as travel safety and how destinations are promoted to different audiences,” she says.
What started as casual curiosity soon deepened into a desire to find meaningful answers.
“At first, I was just personally interested, but I soon realised that some of these patterns couldn’t be fully explained, and I wanted to explore them more deeply,” says Yufan.
“That desire to find better answers led me to pursue a PhD.”
“I truly believe that passion is the best teacher – and in my case, my passion for travel became the starting point of my academic journey.”
Yufan’s passion for travel has taken her all over the world, including spending time with communities in Vanuatu
Yufan’s advice for future PhD candidates
Yufan knows firsthand that a PhD isn’t easy. But she believes that the challenges are part of what makes the research journey worthwhile.
“A PhD is not something that will make you happy every minute,” she says.
“But you should come in prepared to find enjoyment in every minute, even the difficult ones.”
Her biggest piece of advice? Don’t try to do it alone.
“Don’t isolate yourself,” she says.
“Talk to someone when things get tough, whether it’s your supervisor, peers or friends.”
“Sometimes, simply sharing how you feel can help you process things and relax.”
Finally, Yufan encourages aspiring researchers to see their PhD as a long-term investment in personal and professional growth.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so take care of yourself along the way,” she says.
Ready to embark on your own research journey?
