Honorary doctorate for global tourism entrepreneur and educator

Page published: 10 November 2011

John Kent made an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration by Bournemouth University.

John Kent, world-renowned entrepreneur and visionary leader in the tourism and leisure industries, has been made an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration by Bournemouth University.

Dr Kent received his award during ceremonies to mark the graduation of students from the University’s School of Tourism at the Bournemouth International Centre. The honour marks Dr Kent’s major contribution to research in tourism as well as his extraordinary business achievements.

The CEO of youtravel.com and founder of Aquis Hotels and Resorts, Dr Kent was formerly UK Managing Director of Lastminute.com. His commitment to education and the promotion of cutting-edge research through the BU-based John Kent Institute in Tourism was highlighted by University Orator Alan Hunt.

“International accolades for entrepreneurial achievement only tell part of [John’s] story.  He has long been committed to education, mainly for his support of BU’s school of Tourism where is a Visiting Senior Fellow whose presentations have been a source of stimulus and challenge to students,” Hunt remarked.

“His most potent educational development is the John Kent Institute in Tourism, created to realise his vision for academic research closely linked to the needs of a fast-moving industry,” he continued. “Five PhD students, all from different nations, are now all well-advanced in programmes of research in e-tourism and are beginning to make their mark at academic and industrial conferences.

“More will follow as the Institute pursues its interests in areas such as the economic impacts of tourism and of special events, the economic effects of government policies on tourism and the ujse of tourism promotion as a means of alleviating poverty in majority world countries,” Hunt concluded.