The GTS Team

Cathy James

Managing Director – Cathy has worked for GTS (UK) since 2002. Prior to that she worked for Tourism South and West Wales, running a variety of research and marketing projects, and was involved in the initial set-up of STEAM in Wales in 1999. She has postgraduate qualifications in statistics, social sciences research and environmental science.

Cathy manages all aspects of STEAM in Wales and Herefordshire, working with clients including Unitary Authorities, National Parks, Welsh Water and the Welsh Government. She also leads on broader research within the company, including online surveys, Airbnb research and the development of indicators for sustainable tourism. She is a member of the Wales Tourism Research Group and the British Destinations Executive.

Richard MacDonald

Director - Mac graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a Joint BA (Hons) in Social Science and History in 1987. Returning to Scotland in 1996, he graduated with an MSc in Tourism from the University of Strathclyde Graduate Business School. He held research and development positions with the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board, Cumbria Tourist Board, Stirling Council and Scottish Enterprise Fife. During this time he completed an MSc in Marketing at Napier University Business School and was seconded to VisitScotland as Research Manager, before joining GTS in 2008. In addition to his academic degrees, he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Certificate in Market Research from the Market Research Society. Mac is based in Fife.

Professor Stephen Wanhill

Director - Steve is Emeritus Professor of Tourism Research, School of Services Management, Bournemouth University and has recently completed a programme as Director of the Unit for Tourism Research, Centre for Regional and Tourism Research, Bornholm, Denmark. His PhD was in Econometric Modelling. His principal research interests are in the field of tourism destination development and to this extent he has undertaken a wide range of tourism development strategies, tourism impact assessments, project studies and lecture programmes, both in the UK and world-wide, covering some 46 countries. He has acted as tourism policy advisor to the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs, House of Commons and has been a Board Member of the Wales Tourist Board with responsibilities for the development and research divisions. He is the editor of the journal of Tourism Economics.