Freya Higgins-Desbiolles

Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Tourism at Business Unit, University of South Australia

Freya Higgins-Desbiolles is a Visiting Professor with the Centre for Research and Innovation in Tourism, Taylor’s University of Malaysia; Adjunct in Tourism Management, Business Unit, University of South Australia; and Adjunct with the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo. Her work focuses on social justice, human rights and sustainability issues in tourism and affiliated sectors. She has worked with industry, community and non-profits on projects that have worked at the cutting edge of ethical and sustainable tourism.
 
She is the co-editor of the books Socialising Tourism: Rethinking Tourism for Social and Ecological Justice (2022) and a forthcoming book The Local Turn in Tourism: Empowering Communities (2023). She is an original thinker, introducing ideas such as “tourism as a social force”, “socialising tourism” and defining tourism by the local community to the study and practice of tourism.
 
She has been a sought-after media commentator and her articles in the Conversation have had more than one million readers. She has won awards for excellence in teaching, research, industry engagement and media presence.