Greg Richards
Author and Expert in Placemaking
Dr. Greg Richards is professor of Placemaking and Events at Breda University of Applied Sciences and professor of Leisure Studies at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. Placemaking is the process of creating vibrant, inclusive, and engaging public spaces that enhance people's quality of life.
As the originator of the creative tourism concept, Dr. Richards has been involved in studying and developing links between tourism and creativity around the world. He has conducted research and consultancy projects for numerous national governments and tourism organizations. He has also worked extensively in international research projects with organizations including the EU, the UNWTO, and the OECD.
Dr. Richards’ main publications include Tourism, Creativity and Development (2007), Tourism and the Creative Economy (OECD, 2014), Tourism and Culture Synergies (UNWTO, 2018) and A Research Agenda for Creative Tourism (2019). He recently published the book Small Cities with Big Dreams: Creative Placemaking and Branding Strategies, which examines how cities can be creative in using placemaking strategies for economic, cultural, and social development. His most recent publication is Rethinking Cultural Tourism (Edward Elgar, 2021).
Key mentoring areas include:
- Creative placemaking strategies for economic, cultural, and social development
- Events management and tourism marketing and development
- Cultural tourism development and management
- Creative tourism and its potential for economic and cultural growth
- Branding strategies for destinations and cities
- Synergies between tourism and culture
- Leisure studies and the impact of leisure activities on society and the economy