Luxury services; Luxury hospitality; Luxury tourism; Transformative luxury services; Transformative experiences; Authenticity; Experience design and management; Sustainable luxury research; Social sustainability; Hospitality Organisational psychology and behaviour; Employees well-being; Thriving at work; Hospitality competencies; Hospitableness; Hospitality education; Service marketing and management; Qualitative methods; Participatory and high-engagement methodologies.

Dr Anita Manfreda (PhD) is a senior lecturer and researcher at Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School @ Torrens University Australia. Prior to this, Anita spent over ten years in leadership roles in luxury hospitality firms in Italy, Switzerland, and Australia. Through the adoption of qualitative high-engagement and participatory research methodologies, her research investigates customer experiences and luxury consumption, with attention to the nexus between authenticity, luxury, sustainability, and customer transformations. Anita is best known for her work on luxury lodges experience quality, for which she has received a series of national and international awards. Her research interests and current national and international collaborations also include organisational behaviour and psychology applied to the hospitality industry, investigating competencies, emotions, and well-being of the hospitality workforce. Anita is a member of the TUA Centre of Organisational Change and Agility (COCA) and of various professional associations, including Executive Committee member of the Council of Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE), member of the Experience Research Society (EXPRESSO), and of the Transformational Travel Council. Anita also provides training and consulting services to luxury hospitality owners and operators, leaders, and front-line staff on how to best create quality luxury experiences that are underpinned by the principles of authenicity, sustaianbility, and transformation.