Fabio Carbone

Lecturer and researcher in cultural heritage management and tourism development, his professional career is first and foremost based on a strong humanistic background. Archaeologist, his interest in Cultural Heritage Management drove him to the area of Heritage Tourism. In the latter area he has successfully completed a Master in Management and Tourism Development (University of Aveiro, 2006) and later - with distinction - a European PhD (University of Aveiro, 2005). His doctoral research focused on Cultural Heritage Quality Management & Tourism, obtained the honorific mention of Doctor Europaeus with distinction.

He has an extensive experience both as a practitioner and as academic in the field of cultural heritage and tourism development. In this field he was project manager and consultant in the public and private sector. 

His main research interest is to explore the relations between Cultural Heritage Management, Tourism and Intercultural Dialogue. In this context he has inaugurated the research line in "International Tourism and Cultural Diplomacy" and he was apointed by the International Institute for Peace through Tourism as Ambassador at Large.

He belongs to GOVCOPP - Research Unit in Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies, DEGEI, University of Aveiro (Portugal); “Geosciences Centre”, University of Coimbra (Portugal); member and Scientific Collaborator of the“Italian Group of Geoarchaeology”. He is also member ofthe Forum UNESCO - University & Heritage (University of Valencia, Spain) and observer member of the Portuguese Steering Committee for HERITY - World Organisation for the Certification of Quality Management of Cultural Heritage.

Within his international activity, he has already sat on many scientific board worldwide for the organisation of events such as the International Conference GEOGRAPHIES FOR PEACE (Bolivia), INVTUR2017 (Portugal) among others. He is an awarded reviewer for the international journal “Tourism Management” with the Outstanding Reviewer Status (2015), as well as for the Journal of “International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development”, and the “International Journal of Tourism Cities”.

He has a special dedication to volunteering, both at local and international level. In 2003, he was European Volunteer, within the European Volunteer Service, and since that time he has collaborated in many voluntary humanitarian projects in countries like Serbia and with pro bono consulting for non-profit organizations in Bangladesh. He is also supporter of the UN Refugees Agency, and he belongs to the international UN Volunteers database, to serve in UN missions of Humanitarian Assistance and UN peacekeeping operation.

Cultural heritage management;

International Tourism;

Intercultural dialogue;

Cultural Diplomacy;

Peace studies.

Socio-political instability worldwide is alarmingly growing (war, refugees’ crises, terrorism and geopolitical changes, xenophobia, Islamophobia and cultural decadence). In his research Fabio Carbone associates three main areas: cultural heritage quality management; international tourism; the value of tourism as facilitator of intercultural dialogue and vehicle of cultural diplomacy.

Culture represents the fourth pillar of sustainability and any policy – at global or local level, aiming at socioeconomic development, must be based first and foremost on a wise and strategic management of cultural resources. In this context, I will contribute to the process of shaping a brand new definition of quality within cultural heritage management. Moreover, considering International Tourism as a vehicle of intercultural dialogue, his research aims to contribute to inform innovative policies of destination management and promotion.

Finally, he includes in his vision the pioneer idea of bridging International Tourism as a vehicle for Cultural Diplomacy represents a new path for research and integrated policies. His research portfolio is thus complex and ambitious, and it aims to have an impact beyond academia which yields economic, social and cultural benefits to communities worldwide.