Background

B.S., North Carolina State University, 1995
M.S., North Carolina State University, 2001
Ph.D., North Carolina State University, 2005

David A. Cárdenas serves as interim dean of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and associate professor at the University of South Carolina in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Cárdenas received his Ph.D. in recreation, tourism and parks management from North Carolina State University and prior to joining the faculty at the University of South Carolina, he was a faculty member at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Cárdenas has been a visiting professor in Shandong University in China, Inter-Continental University of the Caribbean in Curacao and mostly recently in Aruba with the University of Aruba. He has led several service learning study abroad trips to Ecuador, S.A. His research interests are in sustainable development, resident attitudes and tourism education. He has extensive experience working on community-based tourism planning projects in the United States and Ecuador, specifically working to engage and involve local residents in the sustainable tourism development process. His research has been published in the top-tier tourism and recreation journals such as the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Tourism Analysis, Journal of Destinations Marketing, and Journal of Leisure Research, and Journal of Sport Management and presented his work at several regional, national and international conferences. In 2012 and 2008, he received “Teacher of the Year” in his academic unit and in 2010 was inducted into Phi Beta Delta International Scholars Honor Society. 

Cárdenas was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, and speaks English and Spanish. 

Research

• Sustainable development
• Resident attitudes
• Tourism education

Teaching

• HRTM 280–Foundations of Tourism
• HRTM 481–Analytical Techniques in Tourism and Hospitality
• HRTM 482–Sustainable Tourism Planning
• HRTM 590T–Advance Sustainable Tourism Planning
• HRTM 895–Ph.D Graduate Seminar in Hospitality Management

Recent peer-reviewed publications

• Hudson, S., So, K., Li, J., Meng, F., & Cárdenas, D. A. (Accepted 2019.) "Persuading tourist to stay – forever! A destination marketing perspective." Journal of Destination Marketing and Management.
• Hudson, S., So, K., Meng, F., Cárdenas, D. A., & Li, J. (2018). "Racial discrimination in tourism. The case of African-American travelers in the U.S." Current Issues in Tourism. DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2018.1516743.
• Qi, R., Cárdenas, D. A., Mou, X., & Hudson, S. (2018). "The strategic value of advertising expenditure in the tourism and hospitality industry." Tourism Economics. 24 DOI: 135481661878684.
• Hongbo, L., Cárdenas, D. A., Li, R., & Yang, Y. (2018). "Perceived cultural distance and international destination choice: The role of destination familiarity, geographic distance, and cultural motivation." Journal of Destination Marketing and Management. 9, 300-309.
• Cárdenas, D. A., Meng, F., Hudson, S., & Thal, K. (2017). "Resident attitudes to future tourism development: It’s a question of trust." Tourism Review International. 24 (4), 417-430.
• Hudson, S., Thal, K., Cárdenas, D. A., & Meng, F. (2017). "Stress alleviation or indulging? Examining factors driving the wellness tourism market." International Journal of Culture, Hospitality and Tourism Research. DOI: 10.1108/IJCTHR-09-2015-0111.
• Hudson, S. Cárdenas, D. A., Meng, F., & Thal, K. (2017). "Building a place brand from the bottom up: A case study from the U.S." Journal of Vacation Marketing. DOI: 10.1177/1356766716649228.

Recent funded grants and contracts

• Hudson, S., Meng, F., Cardenas, D., and So, K. (2014). Beaufort, N.C. Development Evaluation Proposal: Analysis of Front Street Village Development Plan. Jetcraft Avionics ($9,425 - Funded).
• Hudson, S. and Cárdenas , D. A. (2014). South Carolina great outdoors: Tourism and customer service training. S.C. Great Outdoors. ($2,484 – Funded).
• Hudson, S., Cárdenas, D. A., and Meng, F. (2014). Study to access the potential demand for tourism on the lower Santee Cooper. Santee Cooper, Hilton Head Island Bluffton Chamber of Commerce ($70,180 – Funded).
• Hudson, S., Cárdenas, D. A., and Meng, F. (2013). Measuring Travel Effects on Education. United States Travel Association, ($54,955 – Funded).
• Hudson, S., Cárdenas, D. A., and Meng, F. (2013). Increasing Tourism in 10 Economically Distressed Counties: Pee Dee Branding Project ($89,982 – Funded).
• Hudson, S. Meng, F., Cárdenas. D. A., and Rawle Associates (2013). Bluffton, South Carolina brand assessment and development project 2013 ($93,100 - Funded).