Elena Cavagnaro

Dr. Elena Cavagnaro is a Professor of Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences and an Associate Professor of Responsible Leadership and Sustainability in Tourism at University of Groningen (Campus Fryslân). She is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland (UK) and Università di Bergamo (Italy).

Education:

• PhD in Ancient Philosophy (1996), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Studied Ancient Philosophy in Rome and Naples

Research Interests: Dr. Cavagnaro focuses on sustainable behavior, circular economy, and moral leadership in hospitality and tourism. Her work explores how hosts and guests can be encouraged to make sustainable choices and how tourism experiences foster social and ecological responsibility. She has led projects on plant-based food interventions, circular economy networks, and values-driven youth tourism research.

Key Projects:

• Behavioral interventions: healthy eating in hotels (2019–2023) with Accor hotels and Wageningen University.
• Fundament en toepassing circulaire economie (2020–2021) in partnership with local hospitality companies.
• Verandering door Toerisme (ongoing) analyzing values influencing young travelers in the Netherlands, China, and Italy.

Collaborations: Dr. Cavagnaro co-founded the ATLAS Special Interest Group on Circular Economy and collaborates with institutions like Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Università di Macerata.