Professor Christopher Gaffney teaches at the Tisch Center for Hospitality at New York University. Just in time for the Olympics, RISE’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Vincie Ho, sits down with Chris to discuss his work examining the impacts of mega events throughout the world.

In this interview, Chris explores the reasons behind criticism of mega events such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and Pan American Games. He highlights the evictions, displacement, and gentrification caused by these events, particularly noting his active involvement with the anti-Olympics group in Brazil. He argues that the infrastructure put in place for these events does little to serve the communities that actually live in these areas. Once the events are over and the stadiums are no longer in use, the social issues that existed before the games often remain or are exacerbated.

Chris’s current projects include the Global Tourism Risk Index co-developed with his colleague in 2018, which identifies countries and regions most at risk from the impact of overtourism/lack of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and assesses the systemic risks places are exposed to on the economic, social, ecologic, cultural, and political levels.

Host: Dr. Vincie Ho - Founder and Executive Director of The RISE Travel Institute
Video and Audio Editing: Kate Mulvihill - Video and Podcast Producer at The RISE Travel Institute
Graphic Design: Shirley Wong - Freelance Art Director
Music: "On My Way" Kevin MacLeod (License)

On this season of The RISE Traveler podcast, our guest host, Dr. Vincie Ho, Founder and Executive Director of The RISE Travel Institute, will be interviewing critical theory scholars, activists and leaders in sustainability, social and environmental justices in the travel and tourism space. Together, they will delve into the ethics of travel and discuss some of the pressing issues that are impacting communities around the world.

In this episode, Vincie sits down with Mawutor Agbo, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, to delve into the nuances of sustainable tourism. From his roots in Ghana to his current research on tourism education and colonization relationships, Mawutor sheds light on the often overlooked impacts of tourism and advocates for decolonizing tourism education and practices. Tune in as he shares insights on the challenges and opportunities of community-based tourism and calls for greater inclusion of local voices and knowledge in shaping sustainable travel practices.

Host: Dr. Vincie Ho - Founder and Executive Director of The RISE Travel Institute
Video and Audio Editing: Kate Mulvihill - Video and Podcast Producer at The RISE Travel Institute
Graphic Design: Shirley Wong - Freelance Art Director
Music: "On My Way" Kevin MacLeod (License)

In this season of The RISE Traveler, Dr. Vincie Ho, Founder and Executive Director of The RISE Travel Institute, will be interviewing influential justice activists and thought leaders in conscious travel. She will be going beyond the idea of “sustainable travel” to dive deeper into what that really means for those who are looking to travel responsibly.

To kick off the season, Vincie engages in a conversation with Chris Christou, a writer, storyteller, educational curator, and culture activist. Chris is the host of the End of Tourism podcast, which explores wanderlust, exile, and radical hospitality.

During their discussion, Chris delves into topics covered on his podcast, drawing from his experiences in both his native Canada and his home for nearly a decade, Oaxaca, Mexico. With extensive involvement in the service industry from both provider and tourist perspectives, Chris offers a unique viewpoint on the community impact of tourism. He also discusses concepts such as radical hospitality and decolonizing travel, providing fresh insights into the tourism industry and redefining travel and mobility paradigms.

Host: Dr. Vincie Ho - Founder and Executive Director of The RISE Travel Institute
Video and Audio Editing: Kate Mulvihill - Video and Podcast Producer at The RISE Travel Institute
Graphic Design: Shirley Wong - Freelance Art Director
Music: "On My Way" Kevin MacLeod (License)