After studying social anthropology and extensive travel in Indonesia, Stroma Cole started her own tour operating business. For six years she led small groups all over the Indonesian archipelago. Following a period of consultancy with UNESCO and ADB she returned to the UK and took up her post at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. Stroma continued to visit the remote Ngadha villages on the island of Flores to study the effects of tourism. She completed her PhD in 2003 and has published extensively. She continues to research tourism in Indonesia and other less economically developed countries. She is chair of Tourism Concern.