Dr. Cihan Cobanoglu is the Dean and the McKibbon Endowed Chair Professor of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) in the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida (USF), who also serves as the Director of the M3 Center for Hospitality Technology and Innovation and Coordinator of International Programs for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. He is a renowned hospitality and tourism technology expert. Dr. Cobanoglu is a Fulbright Specialist commissioned by the Fulbright Commission (2018-2021). He is a Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) commissioned by Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Educational Institute of American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). He is the Editor of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT)(Indexed in SSCI IF=4.2) and a co-author of 10+ books and 20+ conference proceedings.

Dr. Erkol Bayram is currently Professor and vice-dean in tourism faculty, department of tour guiding, University of Sinop, Sinop, Turkey. Dr. Erkol Bayram has worked as an internal trainer and teacher in the tour guiding arena. Her doctorate is in Tourism Management from the Sakarya University, Turkey, and she completed her dissertation research on Tour Guiding in Turkey. Her core subjects are Tourism, tour guiding, tourism policy and Planning, women studies. Erkol Bayram has also worked as a professional tour guide in the tourism sector. She has many book chapters in the international arena and published her books as an editor and author in the national arena. She has been invited for many talks/lectures/ panel discussions by different Universities and countries. She has a member of eminent journals in advisory board editor and she published articles in tourism and Management areas.

Orhan Icoz is full Professor of Tourism Management at the Department of Tourism Guidance, School of Applied Sciences, Yasar University in Turkey. He graduated from the Faculty of Business Administration, Department of Marketing, at Ege University in 1977, and he subsequently obtained his master’s degree from the Department of Tourism Management at Dokuz Eylül University in 1982, and gained his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Tourism Management, Dokuz Eylül University in 1987. He became associate professor in 1991 in the field of tourism management and assigned as full professor in 1997 at Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Business, Department of Tourism Management. His research interests include Economics of Travel and Tourism, Tourism and Hospitality Marketing, Travel and Tourism Market Research, Tourism Planning and Policy. 

İngilizce

Uğur AKDU

1981 yılında Burdur’un Çavdır ilçesinde doğdu. Önlisans Eğitimini Anadolu Üniversitesi, Halkla İlişkiler Programında, Lisans eğitimini Gazi Üniversitesi, Ticaret ve Turizm Eğitim Fakültesi, Seyahat İşletmeciliği ve Turizm Rehberliği Öğretmenliği bölümünde 2006 yılında tamamladı. 2009 Yılında Gazi Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Turizm İşletmeciliği Eğitimi ABD.’nda Yüksek Lisansını tamamladı. Bu döneme kadar turizm sektöründe çeşitli pozisyonlarda çalıştı. 2014 yılında Akdeniz Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Turizm İşletmeciliği ve Otelcilik ABD.’nda doktorasını tamamlayan Dr. Akdu, 2020 yılında Turizm Bilim alanında Doçent Unvanı almıştır. Akdu, turizm eğitimi, kültür turizmi, kültürel miras, turizm rehberliği, turizmin sosyal ve kültürel etkileri sağlık turizmi, yaratıcı turizm gibi alternatif turizm türleri üzerinde çalışmaları bulunmaktadır. Dr. Uğur AKDU Gümüşhane Üniversitesi, Turizm Fakültesi, Turizm Rehberliği Bölümünde Doçent olarak görevini sürdürmektedir. Uğur AKDU meslektaşı Dr. Serap AKDU ile evli ve 3 çocuk babasıdır.

Dr. Anukrati Sharma is an Associate Professor in the Department of Commerce and Management at the University of Kota (A State Govt. University) in Kota, Rajasthan, India. She is the Director of the Skill Development Centre and Chairperson of the Women Cell at the same University. She is also Dean (Honorary) of Tourism and Hospitality at Vishwakarma Skills University, Jaipur (A Govt. State University). She is a teachers elected BoM (Board of Management) member of University of Kota. She worked three years (06 Jan.2021- 06 Jan.24) as the Head of the Department of Commerce and Management, University of Kota. Her doctorate from the University of Rajasthan is in Tourism Marketing, and she completed her dissertation research on Tourism in Rajasthan--Progress &Prospects. Currently she is prusing D.Litt. from Department of Business Administration, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur titled “Sustainable Tourism Development in Rajasthan: Assumption & Expectations vs. Realties & Results: A Gap Analysis”. She is postgraduate degree in Business Administration (Master of Commerce). Her special interest areas are Tourism, Tourism Marketing, Skill Development Courses, Sport Tourism and International Business Management. 

In 2014, she received a Research Award from the University Grants Commission(UGC), New Delhi, for her project “Analysis of the Status of Tourism in Hadoti and Shekhawati Region/Circuit (Rajasthan): Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Prospects.”.

She is appointed as the Official Partner of the BRICS (DUT) Funded Project for the years 2022-2024 i.e. (BRICS Research Institute Grant Project Ref: BRI22/1215) titled “Growth and Sustainability of Livelihoods in the BRICS Countries: Knowledge Sharing in Social Justice, Governance, Multilateralism”.   Dr. Sharma is a Routledge featured author. Dr. Sharma is the Book Series Editor for "Building the Future of Tourism" published by Emerald Publishing. U.K. and Entrepreneurship and Technology in Tourism and Hospitality, Emerald Publishing. U.K.  She is also the Book Series Editor of “ Routledge Insights in Tourism Series”, Routledge, U.K.  She also serves as Book Series Editor for “ CABI Festival and Event Tourism and Hospitality Series and " Perspectives and Anthropology in Tourism and Hospitality Apple Academic Press .She recently launched her new Book Series under Anthem Press “Sustainable Tourism: Management and Marketing Strategies (Scopus Indexed).

She has edited books on Tourism--Opportunities and Ventures, Maximizing Business Performance and Efficiency through Intelligent Systems, under IGI Global, Tourism Sustainable Tourism Development Futuristic Approaches under Apple Academic Press,USA and book titled Tourism Events in Asia Marketing and Development Routledge, USA under Advances in Events Research Series, Sustainable Destination Branding and Marketing: Strategies for Tourism Development under CABI, UK, Future of Tourism: An Asian Perspective, under Springer, Singapore, Over-tourism as Destination Risk: Impacts and Solutions Emerald Publishing U.K., Over-tourism, Technology Solutions and Decimated Destinations, Springer, Singapore, Event Tourism in Asian Countries: Challenges and Prospects under Apple Academic Press ( Taylor and Francis Group), USA and The Emerald Handbook of ICT in Tourism and Hospitality under Emerald Publishing U.K. COVID-19 and Tourism Sustainability: Ethics, Responsibilities, Challenges and New Directions" for Routledge, USA, "Festivals and Event Tourism: Building Resilience and Promoting Sustainability" for CABI, UK , The Emerald Handbook of Destination Recovery in Tourism and Hospitality, Emerald Publishing, UK, COVID-19 and the Tourism Industry: Sustainability, Resilience & New Directions Routledge, UK, Event Tourism & Sustainable Community Development: Advances, Effects and Implications, Apple Academic Press, USA, Crisis, Resilience and Recovery in Tourism and Hospitality Springer Nature, Singapore , Strategic Tourism Planning for Communities: Restructuring and Rebranding, Emerald Publishing, Dynamics of Tourism Industry Post-Pandemic and Disasters, Apple Academic Press, USA and Resilient and Sustainable Destinations after Disaster: Challenges and Strategies, Emerald Publishing, UK. Dark Tourism –Theory, Interpretation and Attraction” under Emerald Publishing UK, Strategic Tourism Planning for Communities: Restructuring and Rebranding under Emerald, The Emerald Handbook of Tourism Economics and Sustainable Development” under Emerald, Future Tourism Trends –Tourism in the Changing World Vol 1. Emerald and Future Tourism Trends – Technology Advancement, Trends and Innovations for The Future in Tourism Vol 2. Emerald. Sport Tourism, Events and Sustainable Development Goals: An Emerging Foundation under Routledge Insights in Tourism Series, International Handbook of Skill, Education, Learning, and Research Development in Tourism and Hospitality” Springer Singapore. 

She also authored a book entitled "Event Management and Marketing Theory, Practical Approaches and Planning." Another book she wrote is entitled "International Best Practice in Event Management" and it was published by United Kingdom Event Industry Academy Ltd and Prasetiya Mulya Publishing, Indonesia. Her current projects include editing books on Technological Innovation and AI for Sustainable Development in Events and Festivals under CABI, Rural ecosystem Tourism: Movement to New Reality, Apple Academic Press, Tourism Economics: The Way of Sustainability, Apple Academic Press and Emerald Handbook of Sustainable Tourism: Entrepreneurship Innovations and Strategies, Emerald.

She completed a Major Research Project under Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India. A member of 4 professional bodies, she has attended a number of national and international conferences and presented 45 papers. She has been invited as Keynote , Speaker , Panel member by different countries such as Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Northern Cyprus, Europe and Turkey. 

Michael Hall is currently a Professor in the Department of Management, Marketing and Tourism, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He also holds visiting professor positions at Oulu University in Finland, Linnaeus University in Sweden, the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and Taylor's University in Malaysia. Coeditor of Current Issues in Tourism and Field Editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism his research encompassed tourism, regional development, global environmental change, sustainability and resilience.

Erdogan Ekiz joined TEAM University in Tashkent Uzbekistan as Full-Professor of Marketing and Dean of Faculty. He was previously Associate Professor at Westminster International University in Tashkent, and Ad-Hoc Professor at The Ostelea in Morocco. Before this Dr. Erdogan was the Founding Dean of the School of Hospitality Business and Management at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. He was an Associate Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, where he served as Director of both the Postgraduate Studies and International Relations and Agreements Unit. He also served as the launching Head of the Travel and Tourism Department. He worked as a Director of Studies at the London School of Commerce, and Associate Professor at the University of Derby, University of Worcester, and University of Northampton’s common degree program (held in Saudi Arabia) on an ad hoc basis. Dr. Ekiz is a certified trainer, recognized by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) of Saudi Arabia, worked with MEHRAT and BETA training centers on an AdHoc basis.
Dr. Ekiz completed his Ph.D. in tourism and hospitality management at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has a B.Sc. in tourism and hotel management and an M.B.A. in services marketing from Eastern Mediterranean University in North Cyprus. He is a ‘Certified Hospitality Educator’ (CHE) from the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute and ‘Qualified Learning Facilitator’ (QLF) from École hôtelière de Lausanne. He is an ‘Advanced Trainer’ with Distinction of International Air Transport Association (IATA). He has over 20 years of teaching experience in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cyprus, Turkey, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. He is the Middle East Representative of the Association of North America Higher Education International.
Dr. Ekiz is acting as the Asia-Pacific Coordinating Editor of the Journal of Travel and Tourism as well as the Middle-East Coordinator of the Journal of Multidisciplinary Academic Tourism. His expertise includes service failure, consumer complaining behavior, tourist behavior, and culture. He has around 200 published journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers. His papers have appeared in respected refereed journals such as the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, Tourism Analysis, etc. He is an editorial board member of top-tier journals, such as the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, the Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Tourism Analysis, and several more.
He has successfully completed several consultancy projects with major companies in the industry and is still working on a dozen grants and consultation projects for both government and private sectors. Dr. Ekiz has a wide range of hands-on management experience within the sector, from fast food to 5-star hotels.

He was born in 1959 in Trabzon Of. He completed his primary, secondary and high school education in Trabzon. He entered (today's Gazi-AHBVU) AITIA-MBMYO - Department of Business Administration and Accounting in 1977 and completed it in 1981 and completed his military service between 1982-1983. He worked in the private sector in Ankara between 1983-1984. He was appointed to Istanbul Technical University Sakarya Vocational School as an administrative officer in November 1984. He started his master's degree in Istanbul University SBE Tourism Department in 1987 and completed it in 1989. He started his doctorate in Tourism at the same institute in 1990 and completed it in 1994. He was appointed as a lecturer in ITU- Sakarya Vocational School Tourism Management Department in 1989. He was appointed to Sakarya University Sakarya Vocational School Tourism Program, which was established in 1992, as an Assist. He continued his duty as Assoc. In 1988, he was appointed as Assistant Professor to Sapanca Vocational School of the same university. In 2000, he was appointed as Assistant Professor to Sakarya University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Tourism Management, and in 2012, he was appointed as Assistant Professor to the Faculty of Business Administration. In 2014, he received the title of ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR as a result of the Interuniversity Board exams and was then appointed as Associate Professor at the same faculty. In 2016, he was appointed as ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR to SAU- Faculty of Tourism, which was established with the division of Sakarya University. In 2018, he was appointed to the Tourism Guidance Department of the newly established Sakarya University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Tourism. In 2020, he was appointed as PROFESSOR to the Tourism Guidance Department of the same faculty. He is married with three children. Burhanettin Zengin, who has served as Department and Program Head, Director, Assistant Director, Department Head, Board Member in his nearly 40 years of education and teaching life, has been serving as the Director of Sapanca Vocational School since 2021, and has taken part in approximately 12 projects and supervised 55 postgraduate theses, 21 of which are doctoral and 32 of which are master's. During this period, he has more than 350 scientific works, including those presented and published in SSCI, ESCI, international field indexed, nationally refereed journals, congresses and conferences, and also national and international book and chapter authorships. His areas of expertise include Tourism and Travel Management, Guidance, Tourism Marketing, Tourism Accounting and Finance.