Peet van der Merwe was born in Kuruman, South Africa in 1973 and is currently living in Potchefstroom South Africa. He is a senior lecturer and researcher in tourism management at North-West University: Potchefstroom Campus, School for Business Management.  As researcher he also forms part of the NRF research unit TREES (Tourism Research in Economic, Environs and Society).

Riaan is a micro-economist with more than ten years consulting, research and teaching experience. He is currently associate professor in the School of Economics at the North-West University’s Potchefstroom Campus. He has wide-ranging knowledge in most economic sectors as well as economic development as a whole.