Bio
Dr. Spears came to UNT in 2007. He previously taught at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the School of Travel Industry Management. He is currently a reviewer for the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and Gaming Research and Review Journal. Dr. Spears has benefited from nearly $250,000 in research funding, and he has been involved in several professional community engagement projects, currently serving as a member of the International Ecotourism Society. He has also worked on several technical reports for various governments through the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Pacific Business Center Programs, the School of Travel Industry Management Consultancy Services, and the Center for Retail Excellence.
Education
Ph.D., Kansas State University, 2000
M.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 1996
B.S., Rochester Institute of Technology, 1995
Courses
SMHM 3240: Special Event Management (Web Enhanced).
SMHM 3950: Creating Consumer Experiences
SMHM 4860/5260: Hospitality Business Strategies (Capstone)
SMHM 4980: Hospitality Service Management
SMHM 5530: International Sustainable Tourism (Web Enhanced).
SMHM 5540: Tourism Services Management and Marketing (Web Enhanced).
SMHM 5630: Event Management (Graduate Online Course)
SMHM 5860: Strategic Issues in Hospitality Management (Graduate Online Course)
Selected Publications
Collison, F. & Spears, D. (2010 - In Press). Marketing cultural and heritage tourism: The Marshall Islands. International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research. Special Issue: Island Tourism, 4(2).
Rosenbaum, M. & Spears, D. (2009). Using group comparisons in AMOS to explore shopping as a travel driver. International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research. Special Issue: Moving beyond pedagogy to andragogy: Experimental learning exercises for tourism/hospitality executive training, 3(4), 313-325.
Josiam, B., Huang, T., Spears, D., Kennon, L., & Bahulkar, G. (2009). Understanding Ethnic Chinese Travelers on North American Cruise Tours: Motivations, Perceptions, and Satisfaction of Cruisers. Journal of China Tourism Research, 5(1), 77-101.
More Articles
Rosenbaum, M. S. & Spears, D. L. (2007). Legalization of gambling in Hawaii: An empirical re-inquiry. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 20(3/4), 145 – 151.
Rosenbaum, M. S. & Spears, D. L. (2006). An exploration of spending behaviors among Japanese tourists. Journal of Travel Research, 44(4), 467-473.
Rosenbaum, M. S. & Spears, D. L. (2006). Who is buying what? Who does that? The case of Golden Week in Hawaii. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 12(3), 246-255.
Agrusa, W., Spears, D. L., Agrusa, J., & Tanner, J. (2006). An analysis of employees’ perceptions and management styles. The Consortium Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 11(1), 83-95.
Rosenbaum, M. S. &. Spears, D. L. (2005). Who buys that? Who does what? Analysis of cross-cultural consumption behaviors among tourists in Hawaii. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 11(3), 235-247.
Spears, D. L. & Boger, C. (2003). Residents' perceptions and attitudes towards Native American gaming (NAG) in Kansas: Demographics, policies, and future development. Gaming Research and Review Journal, 7(2), 13-24.
Spears, D. L. & Boger, C. (2002). Residents' perceptions and attitudes towards Native American Gaming (NAG) in Kansas: Proximity and number of trips to NAG activity. Gaming Research and Review Journal, 6(2), 13-37.
Spears, D. L., Boger, C., & Gould, R. (1999). Collaborative web-based project on tourism and marketing. Hospitality and Tourism Education. 10(4), 38-41.
Spears, D. L., Gould, R., Boger, C., & Brannan, R. (1998). Joint ventures between the classroom and rural communities. Hospitality and Tourism Education, 10(3), 33-37.
Boger, C., Spears, D. L., Wolfe, K., & Li-Chun, L. (1999). Economic Impacts: Native American Gaming. In Hsu, C. (Ed.), Legalized casino gaming in the United States: Economic and social impacts, (pp. 166-192). New York: The Haworth Hospitality Press.
Conference Proceedings
Josiam, B., Huang, T., Bahulkar, G., Spears, D., & Kennon, L. (2009, November). Segmenting Taiwanese travelers on cruises in North America: comparing involvement and cluster approach. Euro CHRIE, Helsinki, Finland (Not Published in Proceedings at Request of Authors).
Huang, T., Josiam, B., Spears, D., Kennon, L., & Bahulkar, G. (2008, December). Understanding Ethnic Chinese Travelers on North American Cruise Tours: Motivations, Perceptions, and Satisfaction of Cruisers. Proceedings of the Fifth China Tourism Forum, Huangshan, China.
Huang, Y., Josiam, B., & Spears, D. (2008, June). Understanding Taiwanese travelers on cruise tours In North America: Motivations, involvement, perceptions, and satisfaction of cruisers.. The Seventh Asia Pacific Forum for Graduate Research in Tourism. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
More Presentations
Rosenbaum, M. & Spears, D. L. (2007). Meet the package tourist: A Japanese and American perspective. Proceedings of the 2007 International CHRIE Annual Conference. Dallas, Texas, USA.
Rosenbaum, M., Singh, T., & Spears, D. L. (2006). Japanese tourism in Hawaii: An empirical investigation of Japanese gift giving during Golden Week. 2006 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Conference. Korean Chapter of the Academy of Marketing Science (KAMS). Seoul, South Korea.
Rosenbaum, M. S. & Spears, D. L. (2005). Special Session: Leaders on Japanese Tourism. American Marketing Association (AMA) Summer Educator’s Conference. San Francisco, California.
Liu, J. C., Kil, Y., & Spears, D. L. (2003). A repeat-purchase intention model for the hotel industry. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Western Regional Science Association. Rio Rico, Arizona.
Johanson, M., Woods, R., & Spears, D. L. (2003). The rising importance of a health and wellness focus within resort hotels. Tourism in Asia: Development, Marketing, & Sustainability: The Fifth Biennial Conference. Phuket, Thailand.
Spears, D. L. (2001). Technologies Role in Facilitating Service Quality & Marketing in the Hospitality Industry. Tourism Travels Toward New Technology Conference. Pacific Telecommunications Council and the School of Travel Industry Management, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Honolulu, Hawaii.
Spears, D. L. & Boger, C. (2000). Rural residents’ perceptions and attitudes of Native American gaming development in Kansas. In Mok, C. B., & DeFranco, A.L. (Ed.), Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research: The Fifth Annual Graduate Education and Graduate Students Research Conference in Hospitality & Tourism. Houston, Texas.
