In Memoriam: Professor Chris Cooper

With deep sadness and sincere respect, the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, mourns the passing of Prof. Chris Cooper – a globally respected scholar, mentor, and visionary in the field of sustainable tourism management.

During his long career, Prof. Chris Cooper shaped the global discourse on sustainable and responsible tourism. Amongst other, he was awarded the "United Nations WTO Ulysses Prize for Contributions to Tourism Policy and Education", was co-editor of the respected journal Current Issues in Tourism, and author of a number of now classical textbooks on sustainable tourism management, many of which also obligatory texts for our students.

At the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, we had the honour of working with Prof. Cooper over many years. Prof. Cooper was the first to be given the full professorship title in tourism studies at our faculty. He was actively involved in the strategic considerations of the UM Faculty of Tourism, the design of our PhD programme and has been a true Mentor to a young faculty and its researchers and PhD students.

He left a lasting impact on the development of our faculty and academic community. His generosity, knowledge, and dedication to advancing tourism studies inspired many of our colleagues and students. He supported our work with kindness, insight and critical eye, and offered invaluable advice and mentorship.

Professor Cooper’s legacy will live on through the countless scholars and professionals he influenced worldwide.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and academic community.