Margaret Daniels

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Phone: (703) 993-4279
Email: mdaniels (@gmu.edu)

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Dr. Maggie Daniels is a Professor of Tourism and Events Management in the School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management at George Mason University. Maggie conducts applied research in the areas of regional economic development, tourism planning, sustainable tourism, transportation, park planning, visitor studies, event management, and wedding planning. Over the past twenty years, she has acted as the lead investigator of teams that have completed collaborative research studies in DC, Virginia, and Maryland. She received her BA from Miami University of Ohio, MA from the University of Georgia, and PhD from Clemson University.

Maggie has a combination of over 100 published papers, book chapters, professional presentations, and technical reports to her credit. A recipient of Mason’s Teaching Excellence Award, Maggie empowers her students to develop management skills specific to analytical planning, financial ecosystems, valuation, investment analysis, and capital allocation. Her financial advice and planning expertise have been featured in outlets such as ABC Nightline News, MSNBC News, NPR Marketplace, The Washington Post, United Press International, US News and World Report, and WalletHub.

Maggie has spearheaded research in the niche event area of wedding consulting and has an award-winning book entitled Wedding Planning and Management: Consultancy for Diverse Clients <https://www.amazon.com/dp/0367227843> written with Carrie Wosicki and published by Routledge, with exclusive photography by award-winning photojournalist Rodney Bailey. Maggie is also the lead author on the STEM-based fiction book STRXIA: The Odds are against us <https://www.amazon.com/Strxia-Odds-Are-Against-Us/dp/1543950558>, written with aerospace engineer Matt Michel.  STRXIA is designed to introduce elementary school children to the basic principles of physics in an entertaining way, with a focus on Newton's three laws of motion.

Maggie has championed fundraising for Mason's Student Food and Housing Insecurity Fund through the development and implementation of Mason Empty Bowls with co-chair Lauren Long, the Director of Student Involvement. This collaborative initiative involves units across campus, ceramic artists, and industry partners. Together with the community at large, we raise awareness and funds for all of the students in our community who face empty bowls each day.

• Tourism planning
• Park planning and visitor studies
• Sustainable tourism
• Regional economic development
• Event planning, implementation and evaluation
• Tourism transportation
• Wedding planning

Daniels, M. J. (2026, in press). Sustainable visitor management during a cultural celebration: The National Cherry Blossom Festival. In S. Slocum, A. Aidoo, & K. McMahon (Eds.), The Business of Sustainable Tourism Development and Management, Milton Park: Routledge.

Daniels, M. & Liu, H. (2026, in press). Soundscape Challenges in Urban Parks and Protected Areas: The Case of Theodore Roosevelt Island. In K. S. Bricker (Ed.) Handbook on Protected Areas and Tourism (pp. ). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.

Escalona, B., Daniels, M., Park, M., & Shutika, D. (2026). Community gardening fieldwork at Jones Point Park: A case study on student development through ethnographic research coursework. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2026.2698700

Powers, S. L., Pitas, N. A., Daniels, M., Webster, N., & Mowen, A. J. (2025). Socio-spatial constraints and facilitators of racially and ethnically diverse park visitation: A case study of U.S. urban park agency directors, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 112, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128900

Daniels, M. J. & Park, M. (2024). Urban walkability and tour bus travel. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 47, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2024.100789

Daniels, M. J., Liu, H. L., & Powers, S. L. (2024). Infrared visitor counts: Data validation and algorithm development. Current Issues in Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024.2364758

Daniels, M. J. & Powers, S. L. (2024). Resident representation in parks: Identifying and addressing gaps in inclusive excellence. The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2024-12135

Park, M., & Daniels, M. J. (2022). The impact of tour bus cruising and idling on greenhouse gas emissions. Current Issues in Tourism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2105196

Daniels, M. J. & Slocum, S. L. (2022). Sustainable Tourism Initiatives and Impediments: The National Mall as an Urban Gateway Community. In Slocum, Wiltshire and Read (Eds.), Tourism Transformations in Protected Area Gateway Communities (pp. 168-179). Wallingford, UK, CABI. 10.1079/9781789249033.0012

Daniels, M. J., & Wosicki, C. M. (2021).  Wedding planning and management: Consultancy for diverse clients, 3^rd Edition.  Milton Park: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429276828

Read, J., Slocum, S., Daniels, M., & Wiggins, B. (2021). Tourists’ noncompliant behaviors in Antarctica: An assessment of adherence to proenvironmental guidelines. Tourism in Marine Environments, 16(1), 21–29. 10.3727/154427320X15988667654368

Read, J. B., Daniels, M. J., & Harmon, L. K. (2021). Implementing technology-based visitor counts in parks: A methodological overview. The Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2020-10502

Daniels, M. J., Harmon, L.K., Brayley, R., Vese, R., & Park, M. (2019).  Honor Flight: Recognition of preeminent-mature tourists.  Annals of Tourism Research, 74, 95-107. 10.1016/j.annals.2018.10.006

Daniels, M. J., Harmon, L. K., Vese Jr., R., Park, M., & Brayley, R. (2018).  Spatial optimization of tour bus transport within urban destinations.  Tourism Management, 64, 129-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.08.007

• School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management
• School of Sport, Recreation, and Tourism Management
• Tourism and Events Management
• Center for Sport Management

• Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management Finance (TOUR - 414)
• Independent Study (KINE - 501)

• Independent Study for the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (EDUC 897)
• Wedding Planning (TOUR 190)
• Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management Practicum (TOUR 241)
• Global Perspectives in Wedding Planning (TOUR 290)
• Career Preparation (TOUR 470)
• Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management Internship (TOUR 490)
• Independent Study (TOUR 499)