Dr Jose Francisco Melenez Roman
Academic and research departments
Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy, Centre for Competitiveness of the Visitor Economy, Surrey Hospitality and Tourism Management.Â鶹ÊÓƵ
My research project
Co-creation of sustainability-oriented innovations in tourism destinationsThis study aims to critically understand the innovation process of sustainability-oriented innovations (SOIs) in Barcelona. SOIs are broadly defined as new or significant changes in services, products, processes, philosophy or practices that are widely accepted by destinations stakeholders (i.e. city council, DMO, private sector, resident associations, attractions) and create or seize social and environmental value while maintaining economic viability. The study explores key institutional factors (i.e. traditions, legislation, organizational structure and resource allocation) that influence positively or negatively the development and implementation of SOI’s from the destination’s stakeholder perspective. The research also looks into how destination stakeholders participate in collective actions and generate their own structures to achieve SOIs. The study implements action-based participatory methods to facilitate the understanding of the SOI innovation process retrospectively and jointly co-create with the destination stakeholders new potential SOIs.
Supervisors
This study aims to critically understand the innovation process of sustainability-oriented innovations (SOIs) in Barcelona. SOIs are broadly defined as new or significant changes in services, products, processes, philosophy or practices that are widely accepted by destinations stakeholders (i.e. city council, DMO, private sector, resident associations, attractions) and create or seize social and environmental value while maintaining economic viability. The study explores key institutional factors (i.e. traditions, legislation, organizational structure and resource allocation) that influence positively or negatively the development and implementation of SOI’s from the destination’s stakeholder perspective. The research also looks into how destination stakeholders participate in collective actions and generate their own structures to achieve SOIs. The study implements action-based participatory methods to facilitate the understanding of the SOI innovation process retrospectively and jointly co-create with the destination stakeholders new potential SOIs.
University roles and responsibilities
- Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Research Assistant (SWELL)
- PGR Rep SHTM
My qualifications
Biography
Jose Melenez has over ten years of professional experience working in both public and private sector sustainable tourism projects and organizations in over seven countries. He recently served as Academic Coordinator and Lecturer of the Tourism Administration Program at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Peru. He was a Research Assistant of The International Institute of Tourism Studies of The George Washington University, USA conducting research and projects on SAVE Tourism (Scientific, Academic, Volunteer and Educational), tourism education and the Inter-American Development Bank’s Tourism Sector Framework . He also worked for the UNWTO Knowledge Network, developing research and talent development initiatives. He is also part of the UNWTO Volunteer Corps. Jose has provided consultancy services for World Bank, USAID, UNWTO, AECID, European Commission amongst others, developing destination assessments and strategies for sustainable development through tourism.
A native of Peru, Jose acted as International Cooperation in Tourism Coordinator for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism in Peru (2015-2016). In his capacity, he served as focal point for the UNWTO, OAS, Pacific Alliance, APEC, and WEF; and led the development of the XXIII Congress of Ministers and High Level Authorities in Tourism of the OAS, the 9th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, the first UNWTO Prototype on Food Tourism, among other multilateral initiatives.
ResearchResearch projects
Measuring Tourism Sustainability in DestinationsWe analysed sustainable tourism monitoring schemes in the EU to develop a pre-feasibility of an EU initiative to facilitate the measurement of the sustainability performance of EU destinations. The study evaluated the current use of STMS to inform policy in destinations, identified benefits and barriers experienced by users, assessed opportunities for mainstreaming STMS, and designed policy options to encourage and support STMS for destinations. The report followed a bottom-up approach through a series of interviews and participatory workshops as well as documental review. This Impulse Paper was developed for the European Commission to inform their actions in sustainable tourism. The team included Prof. Font. Gloria Crabolu, Mohammad Ruhual Amin and Jose Francisco Melenez Roman from the Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy (SWELL).
Research projects
We analysed sustainable tourism monitoring schemes in the EU to develop a pre-feasibility of an EU initiative to facilitate the measurement of the sustainability performance of EU destinations. The study evaluated the current use of STMS to inform policy in destinations, identified benefits and barriers experienced by users, assessed opportunities for mainstreaming STMS, and designed policy options to encourage and support STMS for destinations. The report followed a bottom-up approach through a series of interviews and participatory workshops as well as documental review. This Impulse Paper was developed for the European Commission to inform their actions in sustainable tourism. The team included Prof. Font. Gloria Crabolu, Mohammad Ruhual Amin and Jose Francisco Melenez Roman from the Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy (SWELL).