UON academic supports tourism recovery across the globe

Dr Nick Naumov, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality & Tourism Management has joined forces with enpact and the TUI Care Foundation as part of the Tourism Recovery Programme.

As part of the Tourism Recovery Programme Dr Naumov will share his academic and industry expertise as a mentor, and support businesses to focus on addressing their key strategic business challenges, as well as strengthening capacities in resilience, innovation and sustainability.

The Tourism Recovery Programme supported by financial assistance from the German government. has been created to deliver a development plan for the participating businesses in Egypt, Mexico, Kenya and South Africa, to support their recovery and growth, providing a framework to maximise the impact of socially, environmentally or technologically innovative tourism enterprises, and works to create strong ties with the European travel market, ensuring the infrastructural recovery of these travel destinations.

As a Tourism Recovery Mentor, Dr Naumov will provide dedicated mentoring to Turismo Indigena, a community-based tourism business in San Agustin in Yucatan, Mexico and help them develop new products and experiences with a focus on local culture, intangible heritage and community values.

Speaking about the programme, Dr Nick Naumov, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality & Tourism Management at the University of Northampton said: “I am delighted to have been provided with the opportunity to contribute and support businesses to shape sustainable tourism in the ‘new normal’, empower local tourism infrastructure to maintain jobs, create new prospects and help destinations revive international tourism.

“The tourism industry contributes 10% of the global economic output and is responsible for one in every ten jobs around the world. The pandemic and COP26 has refocused minds across the sector on how to create a more resilient, sustainable and responsible industry, and this programme is key to future proofing the sector and bringing about positive change for the people, communities and environments where tourism operates, embracing a better future.”

Lucia De Carlo, Head of the Division for the Cooperation with the Private Sector and Sustainable Economic Policy at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), representing the Ministry which supports the project, said: “The promotion of sustainable development through tourism is more urgent than ever. The whole tourism value chain has been hit hard over the past year, due to the pandemic. Our measures help local tourism providers sustain themselves financially during the crisis, preserve their infrastructure, and prepare the industry for sustainable and resilient reconstruction.”