DiGMY logo

Centre for Digital Transformation in the Visitor Economy

We are dedicated to researching, endorsing, and advocating the power of information technology and digital media in the visitor economy.

Research aims

DiGMY logo

The Centre for Digital Transformation in the Visitor Economy (DIGMY) work in collaboration with leading academic, business, public and third sector partners across a broad spectrum of disciplines to provide rigorous and critical scientific foundation to deliver value to the visitor economy of tomorrow. Driven by innovation and technological advancement to create resilience and digital inclusion, we focus on four core themes: 

  1. Digital transformation in tourism, hospitality and events; including new media and consumer behaviour, new business models and disruptive innovation, transformation in business operations and performance,
  2. Smart systems in tourism, hospitality and events, including: artificial intelligence and robotics, sensors and internet-of-things,
  3. Technology for social good in tourism, hospitality and events, including: technology facilitating health and wellbeing, social isolation and loneliness, inclusion and accessibility,
  4. Data science and innovative methodologies in tourism, hospitality and events; including biometric research, data analytics and pattern recognition in big data.   
Person carrying passport at the airport

Covid-19 research in hospitality and tourism

Our research aims to understand the needs and requirements of businesses and travellers to be able to return to a new normality when it comes to travelling and the prosperity of businesses.

Research projects

Start date: September 2021

End date: September 2022

Start date: March 2021

End date: September 2021

Start date: March 2021

End date: September 2021

Ready2Drive

Principal investigator: Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos

Start date: February 2021

End date: January 2022

Publications

Media Appearances

Past events

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Researchers

Mark Ashton profile image

Mark Ashton

Associate Professor; University Academic Lead for Employability

Nicole Cocolas profile image

Nicole Cocolas

Lecturer in Transport Management

Chris Cowls profile image

Professor Chris Cowls

Visiting Professor

Nadine Itani profile image

Dr Nadine Itani

Programme Leader and Lecturer in Air Transport Management

James Kennell profile image

Dr James Kennell

Associate Professor in Events & Hospitality

Bora Kim profile image

Dr Bora Kim

Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management; Director of Studies, SHTM

Albert Kimbu profile image

Dr Albert Kimbu

Reader, Co-Director Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy

Yanning Li profile image

Dr Yanning Li

Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor) Events, Organisations and Operations

Erin Chao Ling profile image

Dr Erin Ling

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work

Hongbo (Daisy) Liu profile image

Dr Daisy Liu

Senior Lecturer in Hospitality

Manuel Alector Ribeiro profile image

Dr Alector Ribeiro

Associate Professor in Tourism Management

Jonathan Skinner profile image

Dr Jonathan Skinner

Reader in the Anthropology of Events

Nikolas Thomopoulos profile image

Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos

Associate Professor in Transport

Iis Tussyadiah profile image

Professor Iis Tussyadiah

Dean of Surrey Business School

Wenqi Wei profile image

Dr Wenqi Wei

Lecturer in Hospitality Management

Shi (Tracy) Xu profile image

Dr Tracy Xu

Associate Professor in Hospitality; Co-Director of Future of Work Research Centre

Surrey affiliated members

Adrian Hilton profile image

Professor Adrian Hilton

Director Surrey Institute for People-Centred AI | Director of Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing

Irina Cojuharenco profile image

Dr Irina Cojuharenco

Reader, Founding Director of the University of Surrey Business and Economic Experiments (USBEE) Laboratory

Husna Zainal Abidin profile image

Dr Husna Zainal Abidin

Researcher Wakayama University, Japan

Athina Ioannou profile image

Dr Athina Ioannou

Lecturer in Business Analytics

Leo Jago profile image

Professor Leo Jago

Emeritus Professor

Anita Eves profile image

Professor Anita Eves

Emerita Professor

Photograph of Paul Pike

Paul Pike

Client Services Director, The Fan Engagement Group; Visiting Professor, Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Postgraduate research students

Luka Bazelmans profile image

Luka Bazelmans

Postgraduate researcher

Lijuan Chen profile image

Lijuan Chen

Postgraduate Research Student

Jiaolong Cheng profile image

Jiaolong Cheng

Postgraduate Research Student

Septi Fahmi Choirisa profile image

Septi Fahmi Choirisa

Postgraduate Research Student

Vanessa Cumper profile image

Vanessa Cumper

Postgraduate Research Student

Brana Jianu profile image

Brana Jianu

Postgraduate Research Student and Associate Tutor

Julie Yoonjung Kim profile image

Yoon Jung Kim

Postgraduate Research Student

Wenliang (Max) Li profile image

Max Li

PhD Researcher

Elisa Mameli profile image

Elisa Mameli

PhD Researcher and Associate Tutor

Kanokwan Phoaroon profile image

Kanokwan Phoaroon

Postgraduate Research Student

Todd (Ilsoo) Seo profile image

Todd Seo

Postgraduate Research Student

Zhenni Wu profile image

Zhenni Wu

PhD researcher

Xiaoyi Xu profile image

Xiaoyi Xu

Postgraduate Research Student

Elsa Haoyue Yu profile image

Haoyue Yu

Postgraduate Research Student