Biography
Dr. Filareti Kotsi is a Full Professor at the College of Communication and Media Sciences. She joined Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai campus in January 2012. From 2020 to 2023, she served as the Graduate Coordinator. Dr. Filareti holds a doctorate in Communication from the Ecole Normale Supérieure (France), a master’s and a graduate diploma from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), and a bachelor’s degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). She was recently awarded a diploma in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford (UK). She was also awarded the Executive Leadership Certificate at the University of Oxford (UK) and the Digital Marketing Certificate from Yale University (US).
Dr. Filareti’s interdisciplinary research, beginning with an interest in reflexive anthropology and the enchanted communication of religious tourism and pilgrimage in Mount Athos (Greece), currently addresses destination image and attractiveness topics that vary according to the travel context of destinations, with a focus on Dubai. Her leadership of multidisciplinary teams in tourism and collaborative projects resulted in over 80 published peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and conference proceedings (e.g., Tourism Management, Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, Tourism Management Perspectives). Dr Filareti is recognized with several honours acknowledging her excellence in research, such as the 2017 and 2022 ZU Provost Research Fellowship Award, the JDMM Highly Commended Paper Award, the Best Paper Pauline Sheldon Award, the ZU Exemplary Merit Award for Research, and several other awards.
Dr. Filareti has organized several international tourism conferences, and due to her love for cinema, she manages the Zayed University Middle East Film Festival (ZUMEFF). She is also the Middle East Coordinator for the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS). Dr. Filareti has extensive teaching experience in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in tourism, culture, and events.
As a professional master swimmer, Dr. Filareti ranked 15th in 50m Breaststroke and 21st in 3 km Open Water at the 20th World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Qatar (2024). She received the Bronze Medal in the 400m Individual Medley at the National Championships Swimming Masters at the Olympic Aquatic Center of Athens in Greece (2023). She also has many titles in open water championships and holds the American Swimming Coaches Association Certification (ASCA) (5 Levels).
Designation
Professor
Education
Terminal degree
Ph.D.
Awarding Institution
Ecole Normale Supérieure. France
Research/Creative Areas
Destination image and attractiveness, tourism planning, and development
Teaching Areas
Tourism Principles, Cultural Heritage, Event and Festival Planning and Promotion, and Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
Professional Links
Orcid ID / Google Scholar / Research Gate / Academia / Linkedin
