Alexia F. Franzidis

Alexia Franzidis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She serves as the program coordinator for the Tourism, Recreation, and Sport program and teaches courses in tourism, hospitality, and events management. She has been teaching full-time in higher education since 2009. Before entering academia, Dr. Franzidis worked in the hospitality and events industry, holding positions in hotels in London, UK, and Brisbane, Australia, as well as serving as an events coordinator in Brisbane.

Education

B.A. in Screen Production, Griffith University
M.Bus. in Tourism and Events Management, The University of Queensland
PhD in Leisure Behavior with an emphasis in Sustainable Tourism and a minor in Anthropology, Indiana University

Specialization in Teaching

Service quality, hotel and lodging, travel and tourism, hospitality operations, events management, tourism and health, and field placement experiences (practicum and internships).

Research Interests

Tourism, Leisure, and Community; Health, Wellness, and Wellbeing; Food and Place; Sustainability; Student Development; Pedagogy and Applied Learning.

Professional Service

Reviewer, Current Issues in Tourism (2025)
Reviewer, Building Healthy Academic Communities Journal (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Reviewer, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (2023, 2024)
Reviewer, Journal of Small Business Management (2023)
Reviewer, Tourism Management Perspectives (2022)
Reviewer, Health Care for Women International (2016)
Reviewer, SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education (2012, 2013, 2015)
Reviewer, Critical Tourism Studies North America Conference (2015–2017)
Book Reviewer, Tourism Analysis (2016)
Judge, U.S. Travel Association – ESTO Awards (2021, 2024, 2025)
Planning Committee Member, 4th Caribbean International Tourism Conference, Barbados (2019)
Planning Committee Member, North Carolina Recreation & Parks Association State Conference (2013–2014)

Community Engagement

Board Member, Wilmington Area Hospitality Association. (2021 – 2024)
Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance Economic Impact Study. (2021 – 2023)
Committee Member, Wilmington Sports Marketing Advisory Committee, Wilmington, NC. (2015 - 2019)

Honors & Awards

Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award, UNCW (2021)
Discere Aude Award for Teaching Excellence (2014)
Discere Aude Award for Teaching Excellence (2013)