Bert Smit

Bert Smit is a Lecturer at the Academy of Hotel and Facility Management, specializing in experience design, design thinking, and methodologies applied across hospitality, tourism, and facility management. He holds a master's degree in Leisure Studies from Tilburg University and has extensive experience in zoo management and design. His research bridges social science and design science, focusing on sustainable tourism practices, co-design strategies, and the impact of technology like robotization on industries.

Education: Master's in Leisure Studies (Tilburg University, 2002).

Research Interests:

• Experience Design Methodologies
• Sustainable Destination Systems
• Cross-cultural Tourism Dynamics
• Robotization in Hospitality
• Living Lab Experiments

Scientific Contributions: His recent work explores co-design frameworks for tourism systems (e.g., Destination Design Strategies), the role of international collaboration in leisure studies, and regenerative tourism practices through the Business Purpose Canvas. He has contributed to over 78 publications, emphasizing peer-reviewed articles and practical toolkits like the SmartCulTour Toolkit.

Awards: Recipient of the Literati Award 2020, recognizing scholarly contributions.

Grants & Projects: Lead researcher on projects such as 'Sustainable Business Models for a Wildlife Economy' (2021) and 'SmartCulTour' (2020–2023), focusing on cultural tourism sustainability. Collaborations include the Expertise Netwerk Duurzaam Stedelijk Toerisme.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality (CELTH), promoting interdisciplinary research and education.