Dr Elena Cavagnaro is Professor of Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences and Associate Professor of Responsible Leadership and Sustainability in Tourism at the University of Groningen / Campus Fryslân. Her research centres on sustainable behaviour, the circular economy and moral leadership in hospitality and tourism. She explores questions such as: how can hosts and guests be encouraged to make sustainable choices? And how can tourism experiences foster social and ecological responsibility?
Professor Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism
Research areas:
Born in Rome in 1963, Elena studied Ancient Philosophy in Rome and Naples before completing her PhD at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 1996. A year later she joined NHL Stenden as a lecturer in Business Ethics, where she was appointed Professor in 2004. She played a key role in developing master’s programmes such as the MA in Hospitality and Service Management and the Professional Doctorate in Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality.
Since the late 1990s she has been researching sustainability in the service sector. Her projects include behavioural interventions for sustainable food choices, and she has published widely including The Three Levels of Sustainability (2012, updated 2023) and, as editor, Sustainable Value Creation in Hospitality: Guests on Earth (2025). Her research is grounded in the idea that sustainability is a moral call to societies, businesses and individuals to pursue values beyond profit. Her work influences education, policy and practice, and has earned her international recognition. She is Visiting Professor at both Sunderland University (UK) and Bergamo University (Italy).
Research Group: Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism
More and more organisations are embracing sustainability whether driven by an intrinsic wish to create value beyond profit, or by legislation, customer demand and investor pressure. This research group examines how that shift can be accelerated and embedded in hospitality and tourism.
Projects
This project was part of the larger initiative ‘Implementation of Nutritional Interventions in Care Institutions and Hospitality’.
When: April 2019 - December 2023
Goal: Using scientific insights and the practical experience of our partners, the project developed, tested, and evaluated behavioural interventions to reduce animal-based foods and promote plant-based options across 11 settings, including hotels.
Partners: Breda University of Applied Sciences, Wageningen University & Research (project lead), three Accor hotels in the Amsterdam region, CELTH, FoodStep, and GreenDish.
Results: The research highlighted two key findings:
Engaging and informing staff (for example, through inspiration sessions) is crucial to successfully implementing changes in food offerings.
In all hotels studied, most employees could identify what counts as healthy food, but few understood what makes food sustainable.
Full project report available.
Publications: One academic and one professional publication. (NL)
When: April 2020 - July 2021
Goal: To build a network of learning and educational activities focused on developing knowledge about circular economy applications in the hospitality sector.
Partners: Hotel Management School Leeuwarden (part of NHL Stenden), four hospitality companies, and the non-profit organisation Circulair Friesland.
Results:
Established the “Friese Doorlopers” community of SMEs, key figures, and stakeholders interested in transitioning to a circular economy, covering plastics, water, organic waste, and a new concept for Friesland embracing circularity and sustainability.
Laid the groundwork for spin-off project proposals.
When: From October 2022
Goal: To set up and coordinate a European network of scientists, practitioners, and students interested or active in circular economy applications in tourism and hospitality. https://atlas-euro.org/groups/special-interest-groups-2/sig-circular-economy/ (ENG)
Partners: Bocconi University (Italy); Dalaman University and Mid Sweden University (Sweden); Roskilde University (Denmark).
Results:
Special session during the annual ATLAS conference.
Thematic webinars open to SIG members and external participants.
Academic publications and potential project proposals.
When young people go on holiday, are they mainly after fun? Spending hours online? Hunting the cheapest options, with little concern for nature or the environment? Or are they actually drawn to nature walks and outdoor experiences when planning their trips?
Goal: This research project explores the values that influence young travellers’ choices, aiming to answer these questions.
Results: Early findings are encouraging: there is a consistent group of young travellers in the Netherlands, China, and Italy who enjoy nature-focused holidays, often combined with cultural activities. These teens and young adults are guided by values such as altruism and environmental protection when choosing destinations and booking trips.
Partners: TNS NIPO, European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI), Dr Nan Chan (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Prof. Dr Alessandra Fermani (University of Macerata, Italy), Dr Simona Staffieri (University of Rome, Italy). Both bachelor and master students from the Hotel Management School Leeuwarden contributed to the research.
Most recent academic publication on this topic available [here]. (ENG)
The research group in the media