Professor Marina Novelli receives the prestigious 2025 John Rooney Award

Professor Marina Novelli

Marina Novelli, Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre (STTAR Centre), has received the prestigious John Rooney Award from the American Association of Geographers (AAG) for her outstanding contributions to the field and discipline of Applied Recreation, Tourism and Sport Geography.

Professor Novelli's expertise is behind the discovery and support of numerous young talents, the publishing of cutting-edge research, the successful transfer of knowledge beyond her university’s environment and the capacity building of communities, organisations, and individuals both in academia and in the tourism sector at large. Amongst her many recognitions, she is recipient of the 2022 Africa Impact Champion, the 2018 Africa Tourism Leadership Award and the 2018 Top 50 Awesome Scholars in Tourism.

Expertise in tourism for sustainable development

Professor Novelli is a Professor of Marketing and Tourism at Nottingham University Business School UK and a globally recognised authority in the field of tourism policy, planning and development, with 25 years of experience. She has a background in economics and human geography and a keen interest in sustainability and international development. Her academic identity and contribution to knowledge is primarily associated with critical advancement of the discourse on tourism for sustainable development and the conceptualisation of special interest and niche tourism. 

Speaking about her award Professor Novelli said:

I am honoured to be the recipient of this year's John Rooney Award as it celebrates years of commitment to applied research in the field of tourism for sustainable development. As a geographer who have moved across disciplines and geographical settings, I dedicate this award to all those that over the past 20+ years have been so generously supporting my work often in some of the most remote parts of the world, making my research far more meaningful and exciting than ever expected. A heartfelt thank you to all!

Marina's applied research fully reflects the principles and nature of this award, with her work fully embracing the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Collaboration and partnerships are central principles for all she does, generating impact well beyond the field of tourism. Marina has been driving multi-stakeholder partnerships and led impactful initiatives, interventions and programs that have fostered changes in policy, practice and performances of business, government, and civil society to address pressing sustainability challenges across the tourism sector to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Professor Novelli's professional board memberships include:

• the World Economic Forum Global Future Council for Sustainable Tourism (2023-2024)
• the World Economic Forum Global Future Council for Entertainment and Lifestyle Economy (2025-2026)
• alternate member of the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics (2021-2025)

And Marina's fellowships include:

• the Academy of Social Sciences (since 2023)
• the International Academy for the Study of Tourism (since 2022)
• the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce (since 2016)
• the Royal Geographical Society (since 2006)

Further information

Recent examples of her outreach and partnership work can be found in the recently published in the STTAR Centre newsletter.