Speaker: Prof Marina Novelli, Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre (STTAR-C), Nottingham University Business School
In her presentation, Prof. Marina outlined a broader vision aimed at challenging the existing systemic failures within the tourism ecosystem. The focus was not merely on short-term fixes, but on promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism development by shifting mindsets, particularly among youth, from charity dependence to entrepreneurship.
She identified a significant gap in support and opportunities for young people after primary education, despite the immense potential of the worldโs 830 million youth to drive transformative change. This underutilized demographic, she argued, must be given the tools and platforms to lead.
Prof. Marina pointed to several challenges within the tourism sector that hinder youth engagement. Many tourism graduates, she noted, face either underemployment or unemployability issue that stems from a clear disconnect between current training programs and the actual demands of the job market. Beyond this skills mismatch, the industry also grapples with talent retention, making it difficult for young professionals to thrive or even remain within the sector.
She went further to highlight systemic issues, particularly concerns about how current tourism philanthropy practices may unintentionally create dependency rather than encourage entrepreneurial thinking. Her argument called for a complete mindset shift from traditional charity-based approaches to models that empower young people to become innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers in their communities.
A key component of her message was the need for a collaborative approach. Prof. Marina stressed that genuine progress in youth empowerment would require peer-to-peer collaboration and a sense of shared responsibility among various stakeholders across the tourism value chain. Learning from diverse perspectives, breaking down institutional and social barriers, and fostering inclusive dialogue were presented as essential pathways forward. She cited practical interventions like the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Africa Young Changemakers Program as promising examples of how targeted actions can create real impact. Such programs, she explained, incorporate local narratives and lived realities, making them better suited to address the specific needs of youth in the tourism sector.
Her vision also included enabling youth through expanded access to essential infrastructure, quality education, better job market linkages, and technological tools. She emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for the youth who cannot afford traditional educational pathways, underlining the need to inspire and support a new generation of responsible tourism professionals equipped to lead with purpose and innovation.
Ultimately, Prof. Marina’s presentation was a call to action for a collective reimagining and restructuring of the support systems available to youth in tourism.