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Dr Christopher J. Hayes is Senior Lecturer in Tourism & Events Management and Course Leader for the BA (Hons) International Tourism Management programme at Teesside University International Business School. He teaches across the degree, lecturing on a range of subjects, from sustainability to consumer behaviour. In addition to his teaching, he is also an active researcher. His research centres on tourism in Japan, along two main strands: first, he is interested in international perceptions of Japan as a tourism destination and the influence of foreign media on destination image; and second, he is conducting research on tourism destination development in Japan aligned to the government’s commitment to hosting international sports events, taking the 2019 Rugby World Cup as a longitudinal case study, investigating its legacy for tourism and wider impacts. He draws on his research experiences in classes to provide a unique learning experience that is informed by real life example