Anita Mendiratta has joined Cranfield University as a Visiting Professor. Anita is a globally recognised expert on Tourism and Development and leads her own Global Management Consultancy business.
She is a Special Advisor to the Secretary General of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) – the United Nations agency for the promotion of responsible, sustainable, and universally acceptable tourism. She is a Strategic Advisor to CNN International and provides support to the World Bank, WTTC, IATA and ATAG on Tourism matters.
In 2021, Anita played a key role in supporting Cranfield with its global summit series, ‘Re-imagining the Future of Aviation in 2050’, and continued this support in 2022 by facilitating the event on 14 September. The summit, ‘Raising Ambition to address Climate Change and Biodiversity’ was the world's longest running aviation event as, broadcasting live from Cranfield University’s DARTEC, it ran for 13 consecutive hours to allow for speakers across time zones, and brought insights from the highest ranks of the aviation industry.
Anita is closely involved in the tie up between Cranfield University and the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), and will continue to play a strong role in making the appropriate senior level connections and strategic planning support required to make our 2022 Annual Summit in September 2022 a success.
Anita’s experience and approach to making this link between Aviation and Tourism will be extremely valuable to establishing the direction of our own teaching and research agenda across Aerospace, Air Transport Management and into broader Sustainability and Business topics, stretching our own thought leadership in these matters.
Anita Mendiratta, Visiting Professor at Cranfield University said: "The global pandemic made absolutely clear that Travel, Tourism, Trade and Aviation are not only interconnected sectors, they are interdependent - especially now as the global community now works to reimagine and rebuild a more connected, confident, caring world.
“As an established Travel & Tourism practitioner, I am acutely aware of the essential role of Aviation as an enabler of strong, sustainable development for economies, societies and natural ecosystems worldwide. I am deeply honoured to be invited to work closely with the internationally recognised and respected Aviation & Aerospace community of Cranfield University to strengthen the bonds between our sectors."
Iain Gray, Director of Aerospace at Cranfield University said: “Anita will be active in the role of Visiting Professor and her appointment will bring prestige to Cranfield University, will play a key part in bringing Cranfield and ATAG closer together and will reinforce Cranfield’s position as a thought leader in Air Transport Management and wider Aerospace, Sustainability and Management topics.”