Dr Elitza Iordanova profile photo

Dr Elitza Iordanova

Head of Subject – Tourism, Aviation and Events
London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism
Elitza.Iordanova@uwl.ac.uk

Elitza joined the University of West London in January 2018 as a Senior lecturer in Tourism Management and was promoted to Head of Subject for Tourism, Aviation and Events in October, 2021. Prior to joining UWL, she worked at Bucks New University for 8 years as a Senior Lecturer in Tourism and Aviation where she taught a variety of courses. Elitza obtained her first degree (Mag. Rer. Soc. oec) in 2008 from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria, where she specialised in International Business, Tourism Analysis and Leisure Marketing. She completed her PhD in Destination Marketing at Brunel University, UK, in 2013. Elitza is a member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Tourism Research and is also a peer reviewer for a number of academic journals including the Journal of Tourism Management, Tourism Management Perspectives and the International Journal of Tourism Policy. Most of Elitza’s research is focused on destination marketing and branding, sensory marketing and consumer behaviour and she is supervising PhD projects on a variety of topics. Elitza is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  

  • Qualifications

    • PhD Understanding Destination Image: The Case of Linz, 
    • European Capital of Culture 2009, Brunel University, UK (2013)  
    • Mag. Rer. Soc. oec. in the Discipline International Business Administration with Specialisation in International Business and Tourism Analysis and Leisure Marketing, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria (2008)  

  • Memberships

    SFHEA

Research

  • Research and publications

    Publications

    Iordanova, E. (in press) Nazi’s past and Destination Image: The case of Linz, Austria. In  Boukas, N. and Stylidis, D. (eds.) Tourism Marketing in Western Europe. CABI Regional Tourism Series  

    Iordanova, E. and Stylidis, D. (2019) The impact of visitors’ experience intensity on destination image formation. Tourism Review. Vol. 74 (4). pp. 841-860.  

    Iordanova, E. and Stainton, H. (2019) Cognition, emotion and trust: a comparative analysis of Cambodia’s perceived and projected online Image. Tourist Studies. Vol. 19 (4), pp. 496-519 

    Stainton, H. and Iordanova, E. (2017) An Ethical Perspective for Researchers Using Travel Blog Analysis as a Method of Data Collection. Methodological Innovations, Vol. 10(3), pp.1–7 

    Iordanova, E. and Stylidis, D. (2017) International and domestic tourists’ a priori and in situ image differences and the impact of direct destination experience on destination image: the case of Linz, Austria. Current Issues in Tourism, Vol. 22(8) 

    Iordanova, E. (2017) Tourism destination image as an antecedent of destination loyalty: The case of Linz, Austria. European Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 16, pp. 214-232 

    Iordanova, E. (2017) Impact of socio-demographic characteristics on “a priori” and “on situ” destination image. Case study – Linz, Austria. International Journal of Tourism Policy. Vol. 7 (3), pp. 177-201 

    Iordanova, E. (2015) Unravelling the complexity of destination image formation:  A conceptual framework. European Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 11, pp. 35-56. 

    Iordanova, E. (2014) Understanding Destination Image: the Case of Linz; the European Capital of Culture, 2009, European Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 8, pp. 157-161  

    Palmer, R., Richards, G. and Dodd, D. (2014) European Cultural Capital Report, volume 5. Arnhem: ATLAS (publication without authorship; E. Iordanova – I submitted facts on Linz’s experience as a Cultural Capital of Europe in 2009) 

    Iordanova E., Wickens, E., and Bakir, A. (2010) The Ambiguous Image of Linz. PASOS, Vol. 8(3), p. 67-77 

    Iordanova, E. (2009): Dynamic Packaging Portals on the Internet, Usability Analysis, VDM Verlag   

    Iordanova, E. and Steiner-Haldenstätt, M. (2008): Usability Tests of Recommendation and Dynamic Packaging Systems, Part One: Selected portals already operational on the Internet, Project etPackaging — Workpackage 5, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration  

  • Conferences

    Iordanova, E. (2019) Gap analysis between online destination image and perceived destination image. Presentation at the 4th International Conference on Tourism Dynamics and Trends. Rome, Italy, 22-24 October 2019 

    Stainton, H. and Iordanova, E.  (2016) An Ethical Perspective for Tourism Researchers Using Travel Blog Analysis as a Research Method. Presentation at the 6th ICOT 2016 –New Challenges and Boundaries in Tourism: Policies, Innovations and Strategies. Naples, Italy, 29-02 July 2016 

    Iordanova, E. (2015) Examining the impact of visitors' experience intensity on destination's perceived image: The case of Linz, Austria. Presentation at the 5th ICOT 2015 - From Policy into Practice, London, UK, 24-27 June 2015 

    Iordanova, E. (2014) Exploring the relationship between visitors’ level of engagement with a destination and its perceived image: The Case of Linz, Austria; Presentation at the Global Tourism and Hospitality Conference and Asia Tourism Forum, Hong Kong, 18-20 May 2014  

    Iordanova – Krasteva, E., Wickens, E., and Bakir, A. (2009) The Ambiguous Image of Linz. Presentation at the International Tourism Conference “Cities As Creative Spaces for Cultural Tourism”, Istanbul, Turkey, 19 – 21 November 2009 

    Iordanova – Krasteva, E. and Wickens, E. (2008) Cultural Events –A way of cities’ image improvement, Linz – European Capital of Culture 2009. Presentation at the International Tourism Conference “Cultural and Event Tourism: Issues and Debates”, Alanya, Turkey, 05 – 09 November 2008 

     

  • Research degree supervision

    Principal Supervisor

    Retail development at London Heathrow Airport 1946-2016: A historical analysis of a complex adaptive system
    (Ash Mistry)

    PHD Supervision

    Retail development at London Heathrow Airport 1946-2016: A historical analysis of a complex adaptive system (Ash Mistry) 

    Exploring the acceptance and the use of smart technologies by senior tourists and the implementation of smart technologies by smart tourism destinations (Nikia Hatami) 

    Are smart technologies capable of enhancing the digital retail shopping experience: a case study in the context of airports (Zain Rasab) 

    Second supervisor

    Corporate Reputation Management For Sustainable Business Development [A Green Corporate Reputation Framework] (Andra Constantinescu) 

    Third supervisor

    The impact of sensory cues on perception of authenticity in ethnic restaurants – A case study of Iranian restaurant in London (Neda Sattarzadeh)

Courses taught on