Prof. Marina Novelli (PhD, PGDip Panning, PgDipEd, BSc Hons Economics) is Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre and Professor of Marketing and Tourism at Nottingham University Business School, Chair of the UN Tourism/World Committee on Tourism Ethics and panellist for REF 2029 for UOA24 Sport, Leisure and Tourism.

Marina is a globally renowned authority in the field of tourism for sustainable development, with an extensive track record of leadership roles in impactful research, publications and consultancy international projects management and advisory services for international organisations such as the World Bank, the EU, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the British Council, National Ministries.

She is member of the World Economic Forum Task Force on the Future of Travel and Tourism, Member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council for Entertainment and Lifestyle Economy (2025-26), Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism (since 2022).  She previously she served as REF 2021 panellist for UOA24 Sport, Leisure and Tourism and Member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council for Sustainable Tourism (2023-2024) and Alternate Member of the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics (2021-2025).

Amongst her many recognitions, she is recipient of the 2025 UN Global Compact PRME Programme for Responsible Management Education for Outreach and Partnership, the 2025 John Rooney Award from the American Association of Geographers for Outstanding Contribution to Applied Recreation, Tourism and Sport, the 2022 Africa Impact Champion Award and the 2018 Africa Tourism Leadership Award.