Dr Nick Naumov

I am an early career researcher interested in critical heritage studies, tourism geography and alternative (niche) forms of tourism. I have a particular interest on Eastern Europe and more specifically, the post-socialist countries, their economic, political and socio-cultural transitions with an emphasis on the changing interpretation of cultural heritage sites.

My industry background is in hospitality management and more specifically, front office operations and F&B Management. Having worked in my native Bulgaria, UK and USA, I am very interested in service quality, customer experience and service innovations.

My career in education started with West Hers College where I worked as a Lecturer in Tourism & Aviation teaching specialist modules about passenger service, tourism impacts and special interest tourism. I worked as a Programme Leader for HND Travel & Tourism at UK College of Business & Computing where I was also Lead Internal Verifier, Head of Campus and Academic Manager for over 3 years. I have also had short spells with University of Bedfordshire as a junior researcher within the Junior Research Institute and King's College Londob as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

I have a BSc (Hons) in Hospitality Management and MBA (Tourism Management major) awarded by Assen Zlatarov University in Bulgaria, MSc in International Tourism (Univesity of Bedfordshire) and PhD in Human Geography (King's College London).

Tourism Management: Citizens’ power in tourism decision-making; Political support for tourism development; Residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts; politics of tourism; sustainable tourism development

Hospitality Management: Service Quality; Hospitality operations; Leadership in hospitality; Innovations in hospitality management; Customer satisfaction

Research Methodology: Qualitative Methodology; case study analysis; ethnography;

Special interest tourism: heritage and cultural tourism; religious tourism and pilgrimage; community-based tourism; authenticity in heritage attractions; intangible forms of heritage; techniques of heritage interpretation; tourism and World Heritage;

Historical and cultural geography: Historical geographies of communism; cultural landscapes; geographies of memory; National identity;

I currently supervise undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations and research projects for tourism/hospitality/events students, including Joint Honours. I am open for research projects that include any of my research interests.

I have an extensive network with tourism/hospitality companies in Eastern Europe and some good industry links in UK and South East Asia. I am also engaged with the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe as an external investigator and I am currently developing a youth network of experts for the Council of Europe Routes4Youth programme focused on the Danube Region.

I currently teach modules part of our BA (Hons) International Tourism Management, BA International Tourism Management (Top-Up), BA International Hospitality Management Top-Up, BA (Hons) Events Management and MA International Hotel Management courses. I have taught a wide range of modules across Level 1-7 and particularly keen on anything that involves cultural and heritage tourism, urban studies and World Heritage.

External Expert (Council of Europe, Luxembourg)
Coordinator Danube Region (Routes4Youth, Council of Europe)

I am the Academic Parthership Liason Officer within the Events, Tourism & Hospitality Subject Group. At the moment, I oversee our franchise delivery with partners in Greece, Singapore, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.