Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy

Led by Dr Anke Winchenbach and Professor Albert Kimbu.

To support policymakers, industry stakeholders, and organisations committed to gender inclusion, Dr Anke and Professor Alber are leading a groundbreaking project that highlights women’s roles, challenges, and opportunities within the transport sector. This pioneering research focuses on tourism-related employment across land (rail and road), water, and air passenger transport, helping pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future in the industry.

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Led by postgraduate researcher Safina Naz under the supervision of Professor Xavier Font, Dr Marion Karl and Pablo Pereira-Doel.

Our team, led by postgraduate researcher Safina Naz, harnessed cutting-edge neuromarketing technology to drive sustainable marketing across the hospitality industry. The project addressed a critical challenge: how can hospitality businesses communicate sustainability more effectively? Its insights have been widely shared across the industry, helping millions of hotels improve their sustainability messaging, enhance guest experiences, and support more responsible tourism practices.

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Research team led by Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos.

Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos, supported by Dr Tracy Xu, leads SWELL’s involvement in R-Map, a €3 million Horizon Europe project (2024–2027). This groundbreaking initiative explores how remote working shapes social, economic, and environmental outcomes across urban and rural regions. With Surrey as a key case study, the project drives forward policies that enable inclusive, flexible, and future-ready workplaces across Europe.

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The Gender, Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute (GESPi) conducts research on how to achieve more sustainable forms of development and how to promote wellbeing through the tourism, hospitality, events and other service sectors. This includes getting a better understanding regarding the role of tourism and the services sectors within communities in enabling the diversification of livelihoods and promoting sustainable entrepreneurship and employment, particularly for marginalised communities, including promoting gender empowerment. We analyse how policy adjustments and stakeholder collaborations can generate positive change and inclusive growth. For more information please see the GESPi website.