Dr. Jithendran Kokkranikal joined us on 28 February 2025 as a Professor of Tourism Management. With over 30 years of experience, he holds a PhD in Hospitality and Tourism Management and an MSc in Tourism from the Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, UK. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a Certified Management and Business Educator at the Chartered Association of Business Schools (UK). His research and teaching interests include Tourism Policy and Planning, Innovation, Strategy, and Human Resource Management.

Previously, Dr. Jithendran served as Associate Professor of International Tourism and Hospitality Management and Quality Assurance Lead at the School of Management and Marketing, University of Greenwich, UK. He was also a Lecturer in Tourism at the Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde. He led master’s programmes in Tourism and Hospitality Management and supervised doctoral students at both institutions.

Dr. Jithendran has published his research in well-known tourism and hospitality journals, focusing on sustainability, tourism development, entrepreneurship, gender issues, and resilience in tourism.

Tourism Policy and Planning, Strategy, Sustainability, Innovation, Human Resource Management

Principal Investigator – British Council Creative Sparks Higher Education Enterprise Programme, Azerbaijan

British Chevening Scholar

• Shyju, PJ., Kokkranikal, J., Mathew, S. and Ajoon, J  (2024) From agricultural distress to tourism dependence; Perspectives of local people of Vythiri, Kerala. Managing Tourism Across Continents Conference 2024, Istanbul, 1-3 May, 2024.
• Shyju, PJ., Kokkranikal, J., Mathew, S. and Ajoon, J (2024) Resident’s perspectives on the real benefits of tourism growth in Vytiri: A qualitative study. CESTour Erasmus+ International Conference on ‘Navigating the Future of Sustainable Tourism’, Greater Noida, India, 6-7, February 2024. (Won the best paper award)
• Kokkranikal, J., Shen, Y., Christensen, C., and Morrison, A. (2019) How to Better Satisfy Sailing Tourists: An Analysis Based on Kano’s Evaluation Matrix, 2019 International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) Summer Conference in New Orleans, USA, July 24-26
• Oham, C., Kokkranikal, J., and Coca-Stefaniak, A (2019) The role of spiritual capital on social entrepreneurship, ‘Historic International Conference on Spirituality and the Professions’, Organised by the Spirituality Institute for Research and Education, Waterford Institute of Technology, at Waterford, Ireland, May 16-18.
• Kokkranikal, J. and Chettiparamb, A. (2015) ‘Sustaining Responsible Tourism’, Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Management (AHTMM) conference in Beppu, Japan, June 18 to 21
•  Kokkranikal, J. Sun Yang, Y. Powell, R. and Booth, E. (2015) Motivations in Battlefield Tourism: the case of ‘1916 Easter Rising Rebellion’, Dublin, a conference paper for the International Association of Cultural and Digital Tourism (IACUDIT) annual conference on ‘Cultural Tourism in the Digital Era’, Athens, Greece, May 21-24.
• Booth, E. and KOKKRANIKAL, J (2014) ‘Russian artistic gymnastics as a sports tourism product – some observations and a research agenda’, a conference paper for the International Association of Cultural and Digital Tourism (IACUDIT) annual conference on ‘Cultural Tourism in the Digital Era’, Athens, Greece, May 30 to June 1, 2014.
• Powell, R. and KOKKRANIKAL, J. (2014) ‘"Motivations and Experiences of Museum Visitors – the Case of The Imperial War Museum, United Kingdom", a conference paper for the International Association of Cultural and Digital Tourism (IACUDIT) annual conference on ‘Cultural Tourism in the Digital Era’, Athens, Greece, May 30 to June 1, 2014.
• Chettiparamb, A. and KOKKRANIKAL, J. (2012) ‘Planning for responsible tourism and sustainability: the Case of Kumarakom in Kerala, India’; a conference paper for the Association of European Schools of Planning, Ankara, Turkey, 11-14, July 2012
• Kelly, C. and KOKKRANIKAL, J.  (2010) ‘The evolution and commodification of Wellness Tourism in India: A case study of Kerala’; a conference paper  for the Tourism and Travel Research Association Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 21-23 April 2010
• KOKKRANIKAL, J. and Morrison, A., (2010) ‘Entrepreneurial innovation in tourism: community networks and contributions in heritage tourism in Kerala’. A conference paper  for the Tourism Entrepreneurship Conference, organised by Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario Canada, 26-27, April 2010
• Crojne, P. and KOKKRANIKAL, J (2008) ‘Image-divide in destination marketing: an exploration of the chain of influence in South African tourism marketing’, EuroCHRIE Conference "Building a Legacy, Living the Dream: 2020 Vision for Hospitality and Tourism", Dubai, October 11-14.
• Baum, T; Devine F; Dutton, E; Karimi, S and KOKKRANIKAL, J.  (2007) ‘Cultural diversity in hospitality work: a comparative study of peripheral locations in the United Kingdom’ CAUTCHE, Sydney, February 11 – 14
• Causevic, S; and KOKKRANIKAL, J. (2005) ‘Tourism Development after Political Turmoil: Current Issues on Bosnia and Herzegovina’, ‘3rd Global Summit on Peace through Tourism ‘organised by International Institute for Peace through Tourism, Pattaya, October 2- 6
• KOKKRANIKAL,  J (2004) ‘Tourism human resource development and sustainability in developing countries’, ‘Tourism State of the Art –II’ organised by The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, June 27 to 30.
• Ismail, H; Baum, T; and KOKKRANIKAL, J. (2003) ‘Urban Tourism in Developing Countries: a case study of Malaysia’, ‘Urban Tourism – Mapping the Future’ TTRA Europe Conference, Glasgow, September 25-26.
• KOKKRANIKAL, J., and Baum, T. (2001) 'The role of product innovation in rural tourism development: the case of houseboats of Kerala', ‘Tourism Innovation and Regional Development’, the ATLAS 10th Anniversary International Conference, Dublin Institute of Technology, October 4 – 6.
• KOKKRANIKAL, J., and Baum, T. (2001) ‘Human resources development in rural tourism: the Kerala experience’, 2nd International Rural Tourism and Leisure Conference organised by The Leisure and Tourism Management Department of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), Glasgow from September 6 – 8.
• KOKKRANIKAL, J, Baum, T. and MacLellan, R.L., (2000) ‘Tourism and sustainability in the Lakshadweep islands: a case study’, International Scientific Conference on Tourism on Islands and Specific Destinations, University of the Aegean, Chios Island, Greece from December 14 – 16.
   

• KOKKRANIKAL, J. J. Wilson, J.,  Cronje, P. and Radhakrishnan, N. (2018) ‘Empowerment and Human Resource Management in Tourism’ in Moutinho, L. and Sanchez, A.V. (eds.)  Strategic Management in Tourism,  3rd Edition, CABI: Wallingford, pp.118-142
• Kokkranikal, J., Yang, Y. S., Powell, R., & Booth, E. (2016). Motivations in battlefield tourism: The case of ‘1916 Easter Rising Rebellion’, Dublin. In V. Katsoni & A. Stratigea (Eds.), Tourism and culture in the age of innovation (pp. 321–330). Heidelburg: Springer, pp. 321–330
• Booth E., Kokkranikal J., Burkina O. (2015) Russian Artistic Gymnastics as a Sports Tourism Product: Some Observations and a Research Agenda. In: Katsoni V. (eds) Cultural Tourism in a Digital Era. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer: Cham, pp.81-96
• Powell, R and Kokkranikal, J. (2015). Motivations and experiences of museum visitors: The case of the Imperial War Museum, United Kingdom. In Cultural Tourism in a Digital Era; Springer: New York, NY, USA, pp. 169–181
• KOKKRANIKAL, J  and Baum, T. (2011) ‘Island Tourism and Sustainability in Lakshadweep’ in Carlsen, J. and Butler, R (eds.) Island Tourism Development: Journeys Toward Sustainability, CABI: Wallingford, pp. 54-71
• KOKKRANIKAL, J. Wilson, J. and Cronje, P. (2011) ‘Human empowerment, Management and Tourism’ in Moutinho, L (ed.) Strategic Management in Tourism, 2nd Edition, CABI: Wallingford, pp. 158-181
• KOKKRANIKAL, J., and Baum, T (2005)., ‘Human Resource Management in Tourism’, in Pender, L., and Sharpley, R. (eds.) ‘The Management of Tourism’, London: Sage, pp. 85-101
• MacLellan, R. Baum, T. Goldsmith, A. KOKKRANIKAL, J. Losekoot, E. Miller, S. Morrison, A. Nickson, D. Taylor, J.S. Thompson, K (eds) (2004) Proceedings of Tourism: State of the Art II (27-30 June 2004), Glasgow, Scotland, UK
• KOKKRANIKAL, J., and Baum, T. (2003) ‘Sustainable human resources practices for positive employee attitudes and behaviour – a case study of Indian tourism’ in Kusluvan, S (ed.) ‘Managing Employee Attitudes and Behaviours in the Tourism Industry’, USA: Nova Science Publishers, pp. 805-832
• KOKKRANIKAL, J.  and Baum, T., (2002) ‘The Role of Product Innovation in Rural Tourism Development: A Case Study of Houseboats of Kerala’ in Andrews, N; Flanagan, S; Ruddy, J (Eds) ‘Innovation in Tourism Planning’, Dublin: Dublin Institute of Technology, pp. 95-104