WHO WE ARE
Meaningful Partnerships, Applied Research, Global Engagement
With 15+ years of international leadership in higher education, applied research, and capacity-building, Asia Travel Research (ATR) supports evidence-based decision-making to strengthen destination sustainability, community well-being, biodiversity conservation, and responsible tourism development. Efforts center on funded and collaborative research, professional training, student engagement, and knowledge exchange initiatives that connect universities, governments, and industry partners across regions.
Building on a still thriving partnership between Colorado State University and Central China Normal University, ATR has expanded its collaborations to include global leaders in tourism and conservation. Some institutional ties include:
National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Bangkok
China Tourism Academy, Wuhan Branch
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
U.S. National Park Service
Center for Collaborative Conservation (CCC)
U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Beijing
Intrepid Travel, Australia
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR), Peru
Sustainable Travel International
Center for Protected Area Management (CPAM)
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
FOUNDER / DIRECTOR
Dubbed “Mr. Positivity” (but without the coffee mug to prove it), Dr. David W. Knight has developed a unique transnational skill set in sustainability research and education while living and working in the U.S., Spain, the Philippines, Peru, Mexico, and China. He has worked with esteemed collaborators to publish research in several of the world’s top social science journals, exploring and informing linkages between tourism and development with a focus on community empowerment, poverty alleviation, and destination resilience.
As a Center for Collaborative Conservation Fellow, and former Assistant Professor and Associate Professor (Affiliate) in both Colorado and China, David’s projects analyze diverse natural resource and tourism issues for organizations operating from local to international levels. He has received funding from agencies like the U.S. Department of State and the Army Corps of Engineers, with project findings informing destination development pertaining to National Parks globally, Chinese tourist behavior, marine protected areas, UNESCO World Heritage sites, Intrepid Travel (the world’s largest B-corp certified travel company), and Indigenous rights to self-determination.
Alongside his venerable colleague, Dr. Lina Xiong, David also co-Directs the U.S.-China Lab for Destination Development at Colorado State University.
