UN Tourism Names Dr. Larry Dwyer as Winner of 2025 Ulysses Prize

The Ulysses Prize is UN Tourism’s highest academic honor, awarded to individuals whose work has significantly advanced the understanding and development of tourism through knowledge creation and its practical application. Since its establishment, the Prize has recognized the world’s foremost thinkers whose contributions have shaped the future of the sector.

Dr. Dwyer, one of the most respected scholars in tourism economics and policy, destination competitiveness, and sustainable tourism development. His work has consistently bridged the gap between theory and practice, providing governments and industry leaders with tools to develop more innovative and sustainable tourism strategies.

Reflecting the prestige of the prize, the selection process was conducted with academic rigor, transparency, and impartiality. The Coordinating Committee, comprising three Ulysses Prize Laureates - Professors Emeriti David Airey, Jafar Jafari, and Donald Hawkins - along with the Director of External Relations at UN Tourism, Beka Jakeli (ex officio), oversaw the entire process and invited all previous Laureates to nominate and evaluate candidates for the 2025 award.

The candidatures were nominated according to 11 detailed criteria, namely: demonstrated excellence and originality in their academic field; breakthrough contributions to knowledge development in tourism; a record of knowledge creation and transfer supporting innovation, sustainability, and inclusiveness; attainment of academic status at an established university; ongoing and recent scholarly outputs; contributions to learning and teaching in tourism; provision of academic and professional leadership; role modeling and encouragement of innovative ideas relevant to tourism innovation; contributions to governmental, industry, and professional practice; a record of academic and professional achievements; and significant contributions to UN Tourism or related organizations.

Following the evaluations, Dr Dwyer achieved the highest score and was recommended to the UN Tourism Secretary-General for his final approval. 

Professor Larry Dwyer was awarded the 2025 Ulysses Prize in recognition of his outstanding research contributions to the study of tourism. His extensive body of work, comprising 350 publications in refereed journals, books, and reports, has had a profound impact on the field. His research, particularly in tourism economics, destination competitiveness, sustainability, and special events, has been groundbreaking, demonstrating both technical rigor and practical relevance for industry and government.

His contributions have been widely acknowledged through his membership on editorial boards of thirty leading academic journals and his appointments as Professor of Tourism at several universities, including the distinguished position of Qantas Professor of Travel and Tourism Economics. He has also served in leadership roles as past President of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism and past President of the International Association for Tourism Economics, currently serving on its International Advisory Board.

Professor Dwyer has maintained strong engagement with the tourism industry, providing valuable contributions at international, national, and regional levels. His expertise has been sought by organizations such as the UN Tourism, the World Travel and Tourism Council Taxation Policy Task Force, and the BEST Education Network, where he served as an appointed member of the Executive Committee. Additionally, he has played a key role on the boards of several national Australian tourism bodies.

A leader in tourism education, Professor Dwyer has been instrumental in developing university courses and MBA programs in Australia, as well as teaching in universities across eight other countries. He has also delivered numerous invited lectures worldwide. His textbook, Tourism Economics and Policy (Dwyer, Forsyth, and Dwyer), is regarded as a leading work in the field. His contributions to curriculum development extend beyond his own university, including involvement with the BEST Education Network, which has designed numerous educational modules in sustainable tourism.

Professor Dwyer’s more recent research has been particularly influential in integrating resident viewpoints and well-being into tourism destination policy and development. His scholarly work has been original and seminal, shaping the discourse on tourism sustainability and policy.

His exceptional academic and professional achievements, combined with his contributions to governmental, industry, and professional practice, position him as an exemplary leader in the field. His lifelong dedication to advancing knowledge and learning makes him a highly deserving recipient of the Ulysses Prize.

The 17th UN Tourism Ulysses Prize will be officially awarded to Dr. Dwyer at the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (7-11 November 2025).