UN Tourism Just Honoured Professor Larry Dwyer with the Ulysses Prize And His Research Will Transform How We Travel!

In a moment of recognition for the travel‑industry research community, the UN Tourism (the United Nations specialised agency for tourism) has presented its highest academic honour—the Ulysses Prize—to Professor Larry Dwyer for outstanding contributions to the travel and tourism sector, underscoring his influence on destination competitiveness, tourism economics and sustainable tourism development. The announcement places global travel in sharper focus on knowledge‑driven policy.

Who and what: awarding the Ulysses Prize

The Ulysses Prize is recognised as UN Tourism’s most prestigious academic distinction, aimed at researchers whose work has significantly advanced the creation and dissemination of tourism knowledge .In this 17th edition of the award, Professor Larry Dwyer, based at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia, was selected for his sustained and influential scholarship in tourism economics, destination competitiveness and sustainable development in tourism.

When and where: timetable and ceremony

The award was announced in May 2025 when UN Tourism named Dr. Dwyer as winner of the 2025 Ulysses Prize. A special presentation ceremony took place on 20 November 2025 at the University of Technology Sydney, where he serves as Professor and Adjunct Fellow. The wider gathering of the 26th General Assembly of UN Tourism, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, also underscored the global reach of the award.

Why: significance of the award

The selection of Dwyer signals several trends in the travel sector. First, it emphasises the growing performance of academic research in shaping tourism policy globally. UN Tourism emphasised that this award recognised an individual commitment to using knowledge to guide action and create lasting, positive change in tourism. Dwyer’s research has not only addressed traditional economic metrics but has also integrated social and environmental dimensions—especially the concept of wellbeing outcomes in tourism policy, rather than solely visitor numbers or revenue.

How: selection process

According to UN Tourism’s published criteria, candidates for the Ulysses Prize are evaluated on multiple dimensions: originality of research, academic and professional leadership, contribution to innovation, and impact on policy and practice. The Coordinating Committee comprised previous Laureates and external experts, ensuring rigorous peer review. In Dwyer’s case, the committee judged his more than 350 publications and extensive consulting with governments and international agencies as meeting the highest benchmark for the award.

Travel‑Sector implications: policy, economics and destination strategy

From a travel‑industry journalism standpoint, the implications of this award are manifold:

• Academic research in tourism matters more than ever: destinations, stakeholders and governments will increasingly source decisions from evidence‑based studies rather than anecdotal or purely commercial forecasting.
• Well‑being and sustainability are now central to tourism measurement: Dwyer’s emphasis on human wellbeing suggests the travel sector must broaden success criteria beyond short‑term economic gain to long‑term resident and visitor welfare.
• Destination competitiveness becomes a strategic agenda: Governments and tourism boards will likely revisit their competitive positioning, measuring how they stack up against global peers in terms of sustainability, accessibility, and innovation—core parts of Dwyer’s research portfolio.
• Industry‑academia‑policy collaboration gains fresh impetus: With the award underscoring the value of real‑world research translation, travel‑industry organisations may increasingly partner with universities and public sector agencies to co‑produce actionable insights.
• Australia’s research leadership in tourism is spotlighted: The Ulysses Prize accolade for an Australian academic underscores the country’s contribution to global travel knowledge.

Context: a global travel sector at crossroads

The timing of this award aligns with significant shifts within global travel: climate challenges, evolving traveller expectations, digital transformation and post‑pandemic recovery strategies. UN Tourism explicitly noted that tourism faces “climate change as an existential threat, political unrest, macroeconomic fluctuations and rapid shifts in supplier operations and consumer behaviour.” The recognition of Dwyer’s career at this juncture reinforces that knowledge generation and deployment will be critical to navigating these headwinds.

What this means for destinations and travellers

For destinations, this recognition signals a call to action: travel authorities must invest in research capacities, adopt metrics that reflect wellbeing and sustainability, and align tourism strategies with broader socioeconomic goals. For travellers, it means the industry is being pushed toward more meaningful experiences—entailing destinations that are not only accessible, but also socially responsible and grounded in local wellbeing. The award highlights that the future of travel is not simply about getting from A to B, but about how destinations evolve in harmony with their communities and environments.

Next steps and outlook

Moving forward, UN Tourism will likely promote the recipient’s work as a benchmark for global tourism research. Universities and travel‑industry organisations may amplify Dwyer’s models and frameworks in training, curriculum, consultancy and policy advisories. Destinations may request research partnerships that reflect the elevated priorities of sustainability and resident wellbeing. The broader travel ecosystem may watch this development closely, interpreting the award as a signal that knowledge‑led travel policy is now mainstream, not niche.

At its core, this story touches on the human dimension of travel: the places we go, the people we meet, the communities we visit and the legacies we leave behind. By honouring Professor Larry Dwyer, UN Tourism acknowledges that behind every destination, there is a network of research, policy, community insight and lived experience. The travel journey is not just about movement—it is about meaning.

In summary, the presentation of the Ulysses Prize to Professor Larry Dwyer marks a milestone for the travel sector. It places spotlight on research, policy‑driven action and sustainable innovation at a time when travel is undergoing profound transformation. For destinations, institutions and travellers alike, the message is clear: knowledge is power, and with the right knowledge, travel can evolve into a force for positive global change.

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