
Surrey 2023 Conference
University of Surrey, UK, 5 - 7 July 2023
Under the theme of “Bringing Hospitality, Tourism, Transport and Events Back for Good”, the Surrey 2023 Conference will bring together researchers, educators, students, practitioners and policymakers to share visions, expertise, experiences and best practices in hospitality, tourism, transport and events to create an action framework for building a more responsible and resilient industry.
Contact conference administrator
Parallel sessions
Each day we'll be running sessions in parallel to each other for you to pick from.
Poster presentations
Each day we’ll be running poster presentation sessions for you to view.
Keynote speakers and panellists
Keynote speakers

Keynote Speaker Day 1
Kate Nicholls OBE
CEO of UKHospitality
Biography
Kate Nicholls OBE has been CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, since its inception in 2018, having previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the ALMR.
Kate is Chair of the Tourism Alliance and co-Chair of the London Tourism Recovery Board, representing the needs of the wider tourism sector in discussions with Government and the Mayor of London. She sits on the Government’s Tourism, Hospitality and Food & Drink Sector Councils and has previously Chaired the London Night-time Commission. She is a Board member of Best Bar None, PASS and is a trustee at Hospitality Action. In July 2021, she was appointed as the first Government Disability Ambassador for hospitality, promoting inclusivity.
Kate initially worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament on food, employment and environmental policy before joining Whitbread to work in Strategic Affairs. She has extensive experience as a political and strategic communications consultant and is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London.

Keynote Speaker Day 2
Danielle D'Silva
Head of Sustainability at Booking.com
Biography
As Head of Sustainability at Booking.com, Danielle D’Silva leads the development and execution of the company's holistic global sustainability strategy – covering sustainable operations, making it easier for travellers to book sustainable trips and collaborating with partners and peers to catalyze sustainable travel growth.
Danielle was instrumental in the creation of Booking Holdings' inaugural Climate Action Plan and will use her deep topic knowledge to oversee Booking.com's progress against the targets set out in the plan. A passionate advocate for all aspects of sustainability, Danielle is also leading the integration of sustainability into the company's culture and its products.
Previously, Danielle led Booking.com's operational sustainability programme and was responsible for a number of important milestones – including Booking.com becoming carbon neutral in its operations in 2020, overseeing the removal of single-use products from the company's global office infrastructure and the sourcing of 100% renewable electricity for Booking Holdings' operations.
Danielle has a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a masters in international development from the University of Amsterdam. Born in the USA, she embodies the intrepid travel spirit, having lived in five countries across three continents. She currently resides in Amsterdam with her partner and their golden retriever, Lola.

Keynote Speaker Day 3
Toju Duke
Responsible AI Programme Manager at Google
Biography
Toju is a Responsible AI Programme Manager at Google, with over 16 years experience spanning across Advertising, Retail, Not-For Profits and Tech. She designs Responsible AI programmes focused on the development and implementation of Responsible AI frameworks, processes and tools amongst Google’s product and research teams, with a focus on Large Language Models, Natural Language Processing, and Generative models.
Toju is also the Ambassador for Women in AI UK, a not for profit organisation with a mission to build diverse and inclusive AI globally. Toju provides consultation and advice on Responsible AI practices to organisations worldwide. She is the founder of VIBE - a women's community focused on personal and professional development using the underlying principles of emotional intelligence.
Panellists day 1: EDI in the visitor economy

Dr Sumeetra Ramakrishnan
Senior Teaching Fellow
Biography
My research interests lie within employment and opportunity perceptions of hospitality and tourism workers in low paid jobs with a particular focus on gender and ethnicity influences. I am also increasingly drawn towards innovation in learning content and pedagogy that would address the career ambitions and life aspirations of students besides fulfilling the requirements of the radically transforming hospitality industry..
My work has been published in various journals and as book chapters including Economic and Industrial Democracy, Journal of Services Research, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management and Service Industries Journal. I am also a reviewer for various management, tourism and hospitality journals. I have received research funding for various projects to facilitate my research in hospitality and tourism education and successfully supervised PhD students in hospitality and tourism research.
I have led projects on inclusive educational and organizational practices with the Surrey Institute of Education and partnered with social enterprises like Women in Travel and Travel Foundation towards creating equitable work opportunities for women entrepreneurs and business leaders. I sit on the University of Surrey’s Race Equality (RE) Steering Committee and was involved in the recent submission of the University’s RE Charter application. I am the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences EDI representative, and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management’s AthenaSWAN impact lead. I am a consultant for Religious Literacy Partnership, with a particular interest in women of faith and contribute to BBC Surrey/Sussex on diversity in hospitality education and act as an expert contributor to Skill Boosters on inclusive work practices.

Jamie-Lee Abtar
Marketing Manager at Intrepid Travel
Biography
Jamie-Lee Abtar has worked in travel for more than a decade, developing marketing strategies for travel and lifestyle brands. She recently joined leader in responsible travel Intrepid as marketing manager, looking after brand and tourism board partnerships.
Jamie-Lee also works with a number of travel industry organisations and associations (Women in Travel CIC and ITT Future You) to champion, consult and speak on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusivity in the travel industry, specifically focussed on encouraging and supporting diverse talent and how brands can engage and attract Black, Asian and minority ethnic travellers. She has been featured in Forbes and Harpers Bazaar for her working in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the travel industry.
She is also creator and host of the In The Travel Know Podcast sharing insights from travel's most influential leaders.

Professor Honggang Xu
Dean of the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-Sen University
Biography
Professor Honggang Xu is the Dean of the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University, China. Her research interests are mainly in sustainable tourism, as well as gender and accessibility issues in tourism. She has published over 100 articles in academic journals including TM, ATR and JOST. She is an elected fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. She is also the chairperson of the Chinese Tourism Geography Commission and the vice chair of the Sport Leisure and Tourism Commission of International Geography Congress. Professor Xu is a key expert in UNWTO sustainable Tourism Monitor Center (MCSTO) in China. She obtained the Roy Wolfe Award from the Tourism Commission of American Geography Association for contribution in tourism geography researches.

Professor John Ravenscroft
Chair of Childhood Visual Impairment at University of Edinburgh
Biography
Professor John Ravenscroft, PhD (Chair of Childhood Visual Impairment) is a Psychologist, Educationalist, and uses philosophy into his work. Prof Ravenscroft is Director of the Scottish Sensory Centre, which provides career Long Professional Development for Teachers of Children with Sensory Impairment. He is based at the Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh and he is also the current Editor in Chief of the British Journal of Visual Impairment. He is the President of the International Council for Educators of Children with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) Europe) and lectures on cerebral visual impairment, inclusive education as well as research methods. He is known for his work on cerebral visual impairment and his “Conversations about CVI” have been views thousands of times on Youtube. Professor Ravenscroft is often found on twitter and welcomes any discussion about the nature of representation.

Becki Morris
Associate Consultant, Lead Access Auditor at EMBED Inclusion
Biography
Becki Morris is a respected EDI consultant and lead access auditor for EMBED and is passionate about a world where everyone feels seen, heard and valued. As an experienced museum professional specialising in intersectional inclusive practice, Becki has created outcome focused relationships across education, heritage, culture, arts and charity. With her innovative, practical and user led approach she has supported organisations around the world as they look to recruit, retain and develop diverse talent and ensure that their audiences, visitors and stakeholders feel included and accepted.
Panellists day 2: Climate change

Professor Daniel Scott
Vice Chancellor Research Fellow
Biography
Dr Daniel Scott is a Vice Chancellor Research Fellow at the University of Surrey. He is also a University Research Chair and Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo (Canada). Daniel has worked extensively on sustainable tourism for 25 years, with a focus on the transition to a low carbon tourism economy and adaptation to the complex impacts of a changing climate. He has advised and led projects for a wide range of organizations around the world, including the UNWTO, UNEP, World Bank, International Olympic Committee, European Tourism Commission, the Caribbean Tourism Organization and has been a contributor to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third, Fourth, Fifth Assessments and their 1.5°C special report. In 2021, he was ranked in the world top 300 climate change scholars by Reuters.

Professor Geoffrey Lipman
Envoy for STGC, President of SUNx Malta
Biography
Professor Geoffrey Lipman is President SUNx Malta - Strong Universal Network, Envoy for Sustainable Tourism Global Centre and lead for TPCC – Tourism Panel on Climate Change.
Previously, Professor Lipman was Executive Director IATA, First President WTTC, and Assistant Secretary General UNWTO.
He has played a key role in emergence of Tourism as a serious socio-economic sector.
- As Executive Director at IATA in the 1970's helped drive a new liberalization agenda, responding to airline deregulation.
- As first President of WTTC throughout the 1990's, he worked to pioneer new systems of measuring the sector, creating CSR Certification and supporting China’s efforts to open Tourism markets.
- As Assistant Secretary General of UNWTO, in the first decade of this millennium, he spearheaded new development support systems, including the ST-EP Program, led the Davos Climate Summit and launched G20 Summit recognition program.
- As Co-founder of SUNx Strong Universal Network - a legacy project of Maurice Strong This is a global initiative to support Climate Resilience, related SDG’s and Emergency Response through Climate Friendly Travel ~ Measured: Green: 2050proof.
He has served on public/private sector Boards in Africa, Europe, Middle East and Canada: Tourism Envoy to UNDP Administrator; Member EU Commissions on Airline Liberalization and on Tourism Employment: Environment Advisor to the Governor of Jeju Island, Korea: President ICTP (International Coalition of Tourism Partners). Worked closely with the World Economic Forum since the early 90's on its Competitiveness and Smart Travel activities.
He has written/lectured widely on tourism strategy, sustainability & liberalization; co-author/ editor of two books and numerous journal articles on Green Growth & Travelism as a visiting Professor, Victoria U. Australia and Hasselt U. Belgium. Co-author two major EIU studies on airline liberalization.

Dr Debbie Hopkins
Associate Professor at University of Oxford
Biography
Debbie is an Associate Professor in Human Geography jointly appointed between the School of Geography and the Environment, and the Sustainable Urban Development programme in the Department for Continuing Education. She completed her master's degree (Geography, with distinction) at King's College London, and PhD at the University of Otago / Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou (Aotearoa New Zealand), and undertook postdoctoral training at the Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, (2014-2016), and the Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford (2016-2017). Debbie is the Editor-in-Chief of the Association of American Geographers Review of Books and sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Transport Geography, Applied Mobilities, Tourism Geographies, Journal of Sustainable Tourism and Global Networks. Her research centres on just decarbonisation, geographies of sustainability transitions, and mobile working lives.
Debbie currently leads a three-year (2022-2025) ESRC-funded project, 'Trucking Lives', that seeks to uncover the complexities of logistical work, and works with colleagues in Norway and NZ on PATHWAYS, a Norwegian Research Council-funded project focused on sustainable tourism mobilities.

Professor Xavier Font
Professor of Sustainability Marketing
Biography
I develop creative methods of sustainable tourism production and consumption for the tourism and hospitality industries. I have conducted around 150 courses for more than 3000 businesses on how to market and communicate sustainability, commissioned by the UNWTO, European Commission, national tourist boards, national parks, industry associations and businesses in over 15 countries, as well as numerous reports to promote pro-sustainable behaviour in tourism businesses for UNEP, UNWTO, UNCTAD, UNDP, VisitEngland, VisitWales, Fáilte Ireland, Fair Trade Tourism South Africa, the Catalan Tourist Board, WWF, Travel Foundation, and others. I have thoroughly enjoyed my consultancy projects, which include writing the feasibility study for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council; the development and operating a single process of accreditation of sustainable tourism certification programmes for VisitEngland, VisitWales, and Northern Ireland Tourist Board; the development of a methodology to improve the project management of sustainable tourism projects based on Prince2; the analysis of the market for sustainable tourism and gap analysis for the Chilean industry to develop a sustainable tourism industry; an advisory role for the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism to identify sustainable tourism project evaluation criteria for UNEP; the design and consultation of the European Charter for tourism in protected areas certification criteria and accreditation procedures for Europarc Federation; Monitoring and evaluation of an online marketing tool to promote sustainable development for the International Finance Corporation- World Bank group; the feasibility study for a Fair trade tourism standard and label for the Fair Trade Labelling Organisation; and a sustainable supply chain management demonstration project for European tour operators and certified accommodation suppliers funded by EU LIFE; amongst others.
Panellists day 3: Ethics and morality of technology

Professor Iis Tussyadiah
Professor of Intelligent Systems in Service
Biography
Professor Iis Tussyadiah is Professor of Intelligent Systems in Service, Head of School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Fellow of the Surrey Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence at University of Surrey.
Iis conducts research on digital transformation in the services sector, focusing on human-computer interaction, consumer behaviour, and management. She investigates the applications and implications of artificial intelligence and is an advocate of utilising technology to forge new pathways to a better future. Her current work covers human-AI teaming and the future of work, digital nudging, and the development of sociotechnical systems for sustainability transitions. She has received research funding from research councils, charity (e.g., Leverhulme Trust), and the industry. She was the Surrey PI for a 4-year £1.4M research project on data privacy in travel sector in 2018-2022 funded by EPSRC (PriVELT). She received several Best Research Paper/Journal Paper of the Year Awards at ENTER, I-CHRIE, Advances in Destination Management, etc. She is a recipient of Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Social Sciences in 2021 and 2022.
Iis provides leadership to a globally leading School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) at University of Surrey. She is a strong proponent of the transformative approach to education and research. This is reflected in the SHTM Global Leadership Strategy 2021-2024, which focuses on three pillars: cultivating future leaders, advancing scholarship and impact, and developing and sustaining partnerships. In 2022, SHTM rose to #2 in the world on the Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2022 for Hospitality & Tourism Management, and claimed its #1 position in the UK on the Complete University Guide Subject League Table 2023 for Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies. The School is also among the Top 5 on The Guardian and The Times and Sunday Times League Tables 2023.
Professor Tussyadiah served as President (2018-2020) after previously being Vice President (2014-2017) of the International Federation for Information Technologies and Travel & Tourism (IFITT) and is a founding member of the Alliance for Innovators and Researchers in Tourism and Hospitality (AIRTH). Iis also served as a member of Advisory Group for World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2021, part of the working group for World Travel & Tourism Council's Women Empowerment Initiative, and a Non-Executive Director of Visit Surrey. Prior to joining Surrey, Iis was Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management, Carson College of Business, Washington State University, USA. From 2008 to 2012, she was Assistant Professor and Associate Director of the National Laboratory for Tourism and eCommerce (NLTeC) at Temple University, USA. She obtained her PhD in Information Sciences with a concentration in Human-Social Information Sciences from Tohoku University, ranked the best university in Japan by Times Higher Education, where she received the GSIS Dean's Award for Excellent Achievements in Doctoral Studies in 2007.

Professor David Leslie
Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research at The Alan Turing Institute and Professor of Ethics, Technology and Society, Queen Mary University of London
Biography
David Leslie is the Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research at The Alan Turing Institute. Before joining the Turing, he taught at Princeton’s University Center for Human Values, where he also participated in the UCHV’s 2017-2018 research collaboration with Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy on “Technology Ethics, Political Philosophy and Human Values: Ethical Dilemmas in AI Governance.” Prior to teaching at Princeton, David held academic appointments at Yale’s programme in Ethics, Politics and Economics and at Harvard’s Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, where he received over a dozen teaching awards including the 2014 Stanley Hoffman Prize for Teaching Excellence. He was also a 2017-2018 Mellon-Sawyer Fellow in Technology and the Humanities at Boston University and a 2018-2019 Fellow at MIT’s Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values.
David has served as an elected member of the Bureau of the Council of Europe’s Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence (CAHAI). He is on the editorial board of the Harvard Data Science Review (HDSR) and is a founding editor of the Springer journal, AI and Ethics. He is the author of the UK Government’s official guidance on the responsible design and implementation of AI systems in the public sector, Understanding artificial intelligence ethics and safety (2019) and a principal co-author of Explaining decisions made with AI (PDF) (2020), a co-badged guidance on AI explainability published by the Information Commissioner’s Office and The Alan Turing Institute. He is also Principal Investigator of a UKRI-funded project called PATH-AI: Mapping an Intercultural Path to Privacy, Agency and Trust in Human-AI Ecosystems, which is a research collaboration with RIKEN, one of Japan’s National Research and Development Institutes founded in 1917. Most recently, he has received a series of grants from the Global Partnership on AI, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and BEIS to lead a project titled, Advancing Data Justice Research and Practice, which explores how current discourses around the problem of data justice, and digital rights more generally, can be extended from the predominance of Western-centred and Global North standpoints to non-Western and intercultural perspectives alive to issues of structural inequality, coloniality, and discriminatory legacies.
David was a Principal Investigator and lead co-author of the NESTA-funded Ethics review of machine learning in children’s social care (2020). His other recent publications include the HDSR articles “Tackling COVID-19 through responsible AI innovation: Five steps in the right direction” (2020) and “The arc of the data scientific universe” (2021) as well as Understanding bias in facial recognition technologies (2020), an explainer published to support a BBC investigative journalism piece that won the 2021 Royal Statistical Society Award for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. David is also a co-author of Mind the gap: how to fill the equality and AI accountability gap in an automated world (PDF) (2020), the Final Report of the Institute for the Future of Work’s Equality Task Force and lead author of “Does AI stand for augmenting inequality in the COVID-19 era of healthcare” (2021) published in the British Medical Journal. He is additionally the lead author of Artificial intelligence, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law (2021), a primer prepared to support the CAHAI’s Feasibility Study and translated into Dutch and French, and of Human rights, democracy, and the rule of law assurance framework for AI systems: A proposal. In his shorter writings, David has explored subjects such as the life and work of Alan Turing, the Ofqual fiasco, the history of facial recognition systems and the conceptual foundations of AI for popular outlets from the BBC to Nature.

Professor Kathleen Richardson
Professor of Ethics and Culture of Robots and AI at De Montfort University
Biography
Kathleen Richardson is Professor of Ethics and Culture of Robots and AI at De Montfort University and Director of WERAID (Women, Ethics, Robots, AI and Data).
Kathleen is author of An Anthropology of Robots and AI: Annihilation Anxiety and Machines (2015) and Challenging Sociality? An Anthropology of Autism, Attachment and Robots (2018). She has another book in the pipeline on ‘sex’ robots.
In 2015 she launched the Campaign Against Porn Robots to draw attention to problematic effects of new technologies on human relations, and their potential impact to create new layers of inequalities between men and women and adults and children. She is co-editor of Man-Made Women: The Sexual Politics of Sex Dolls and Sex Robots (Springer 2022).

Dr Ansgar Koene
Global AI Ethics and Regulatory Leader at EY
Biography
Dr Ansgar Koene is Global AI Ethics and Regulatory Leader at EY (Ernst & Young) where he leads the AI related public policy team and contributes to the work on AI governance and EY’s Trusted AI framework. As part of this work, he represents EY at the OECD Working Party on AI and Governance and the Business at OECD Committee on Digital Economic Policy (BIAC CDEP).
Ansgar chaired the IEEE P7003 Standard for Algorithmic Bias Considerations working group and is a co-convener for the CEN-CENELEC JTC21 “AI” committee’s work on AI conformity assessment. He is a trustee for the 5Rights foundation for the Rights of Young People Online and advises on AI and Data Ethics for the pan-African NGO AfroLeadership and the smart-mobility start-up Hayden AI.
Ansgar has a multi-disciplinary research background, having worked and published on topics ranging from Policy and Governance of Algorithmic Systems (AI), data-privacy, AI Ethics, AI Standards, bio-inspired Robotics, AI and Computational Neuroscience to experimental Human Behaviour/Perception studies. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering and a PhD in Computational Neuroscience.
Consensus sessions: The Surrey good bucket list
At the conclusion of the conference, we aim to produce The Surrey Good Bucket List, a list of goals and accomplishments that we set to achieve in the next 5-10 years, along with guiding principles for what constitutes good for hospitality, tourism, transport and events. To optimise the impact of the conference, the consensus will be developed into academic papers and policy briefs.
All participants will be invited to review with the discussants emerging topics/agenda from the plenary and parallel sessions and identify critical areas still missing from the discussions.
If you have an agenda item to add to the list prior to the conference, you may start contributing to the discussion on our Padlet below.
Consensus chair

Professor Allan Williams
Chair in Tourism and Mobility Studies
Discussants for consensus day 1: People

Professor Ying Zhou
Professor of Human Resource Management; Director of Future of Work Research Centre
Professor Emily Ma
Professor

Dr Tracy Xu
Senior Lecturer in Hospitality
Discussants for consensus day 2: The environment

Professor Lorenzo Fioramonti
Director of the Institute for Sustainability (University of Surrey)

Professor Graham Miller
Professor of Sustainability in Business
Discussants for consensus day 3: Technology

Dr Andrew Rogoyski
Director of Innovation and Partnerships at the Surrey Institute for People-Centred AI

Dr Brigitte Stangl
Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Acting Director of Centre for Digital Transformation in the Visitor Economy

Professor Caroline Scarles
Professor of Technology in Society
For presenters
For stand-up presentation
Please prepare a 15-minute presentation using PowerPoint. The presentation will be followed by 2-3 minutes of discussions with the audience. We strongly encourage you to save a copy of your presentation on your email and a USB. We will have volunteers in the presentation rooms to support.
For poster presentation
Please bring a printed copy of your poster to the conference. On the day of your poster presentation, please hand it to the volunteers at the registration desk at the start of the day. Our volunteers will help put up your posters. The size of the poster should be A1 size, portrait orientation. A1 size measures 59.4 x 84.1 cm or 23.4 x 33.1 inches.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition and PhD research clinics

We welcome student delegates to submit an entry for Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition and PhD research clinics, to be organised on Tuesday 4 July, 2023 from 9am - 12 noon. Please contact Dr Jason Chen for submission details and refer to the Pre-Conference Programme.
The Three Minute Thesis® competition is developed by The University of Queensland, one of our Tripartite partners. 3MT cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports students capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.
3MT rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
- No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs)
- Presentations are to commence from the stage
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
The David Airey Award for Best Contribution in Tourism
We are delighted to introduce The David Airey Award for Best Contribution in Tourism at the Surrey 2023 Conference. Honouring the signifcant contribution of Professor David Airey to the University of Surrey and to education and research in tourism and hospitality, this award is to recognise an outstanding contribution in the extended abstract category.
Fast track publication opportunity

Editors from the Journal of Sustainable Tourism will review the abstracts submitted to the conference, and will provide advice to early career researchers as to the readiness to publish of the work presented.
The authors of the top 10 abstracts will be invited to submit their papers to JoST with a fast-track process.
Our commitment to sustainabilty
Sustainability statement
The School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Surrey are committed to becoming a Net Zero University by 2030 and already has policies in place to keep waste and carbon emissions to a minimum.
Reducing waste
All University of Surrey catering outlets aim to minimise packaging and where possible utilise compostable materials.
We will not be printing conference programmes and printing in general will be kept to a minimum. All conference details will be available on the website.
Decarbonisation
The Surrey 2023 Conference will implement a decarbonisation plan by covering up to 50 per cent of carbon offset cost for all international delegates travelling to Surrey by air.
Conference venue
The conference will be held on the Stag Hill Campus at the University of Surrey. The main venue is Austin Pearce Building (#5). We will use several rooms in Rik Medlik Building (#18) for the parallel sessions.
Learn more about AP accessibility from AccessAble Website, and contact us if you have any queries.
Other accommodation options
Guildford has a number of hotels in the area which are within walking distance of the train station and close to the town centre. A number of bed and breakfasts and Airbnbs can also be found in Guildford and across Surrey.
About Guildford
Guildford town centre is a 10-minute walk from the University of Surrey and offers a wide range of things to do and see. The town caters for all ages with over 100 places to eat and drink, three shopping centres filled with a number of retailers, three theatres and a cinema.
Shopping
Guildford has three shopping centres: The Friary, White Lion Walk, and Tunsgate Quarter. The Friary Guildford is the most popular place for people to shop and has a reputation of being one of the best shopping centres in Surrey. White Lion walk joins North Street from The Friary to the cobbled High Street and offers a number of shops as you walk through. Finally, Tunsgate Quater is a modern shopping centre which offers a number of high-end retailers and restaurants.
Food and drink
Guildford offers a large number of pubs in the area which cater for everyone, whether you’re a fan of local ales, gin, whisky or live music.
Walks, parks and history
You can take a walk down the beautiful Chapel Street and take a look at the Castle which dates back to 1300 or explore a number of parks and walks which Guildford has to offer.
Guildford is home to some of Surrey’s best countryside and a number of parks have been awarded the Green Flag Award, which has been set up to recognise the best parks and green spaces in the country.
Conference organising committee
Conference administrator

Victoria Perry
Conference Administrator
Conference chairs

Professor Scott Cohen
Overall Chair
Professor Emily Ma
Scientific Chair

Dr Jonathan Skinner
Programme Chair

Professor Allan Williams
Consensus Chair

Dr Jason Chen
PhD Workshop Chair