UNWTO Ulysses Prize awarded to leading tourism scholar

Mr. Cohen, the George S. Wise Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has been announced as the winner of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Ulysses Prize for Excellence in the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge. The prize is awarded annually to scholars for their contribution to the development of tourism education and research.

“Throughout his illustrious and varied academic career, Mr. Cohen’s tourism expertise has always shone through,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, “Whether researching education, religion, or diaspora, Mr. Cohen never fails to find the links with tourism. In highlighting these complex relationships, Mr. Cohen continuously reminds us of the cross-cutting nature of tourism and its relevance to all of our lives.”

A founding member of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism, Mr. Cohen has served as Sociology Editor of Annals of Tourism Research since 1976. His current research areas include post-modern trends in travel, tourism, and disasters, festivals, and heritage tourism.

The UNWTO Ulysses Prize for Excellence in the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge will be presented on November 15 during the UNWTO Awards Ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey. The winners of the UNWTO Award for Lifetime Achievement and the UNWTO Ulysses Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism will also be awarded in Istanbul.