Thomas Dowson

Having trained as an archaeologist at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, I went on to teach archaeology at the universities of Southampton and Manchester in England. While in academia my research and teaching focussed on prehistoric rock arts of southern Africa and western Europe, as well as the contemporary and social relevance of archaeology, including issues related to the presentation of archaeological sites to the public and tourism. In 2010 I launched the website Archaeology Travel to promote destinations and their archaeology. Later, during the pandemic and as a result of advances with the internet and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, I developed the aim and focus of Archaeology Travel, that is to take a more proactive role in promoting sustainable tourism, for heritage, people and the planet. In March 2023 we launched the new website, encouraging people to explore the world’s pasts in more sustainable and meaningful ways.