Oliver Kesar

Prof. Oliver Kesar was born in Zagreb on December 29th, 1974. After completing his primary education, in 1993 he finished his secondary education at the High School for Tourism and Hospitality in Zagreb. In October 1997, he graduated from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics & Business with a bachelor degree in tourism. In March 2000, at the same Faculty he completed his scientific postgraduate study with Master of Science Degree in tourism policy and development. Finally, in June 2006, he completed his doctoral studies at the same Faculty defending his doctor's thesis on economic effects of tourist consumption.
Since March 1st he continuously works at the Department of Tourism, Faculty of Economics & Business. His first position was Junior Assistant, then in April 2000 the Faculty Council promoted him to the position of Research and Teaching Assistant for the course "Tourism Economics". In March 2004 he was promoted to the position of Assistant for the courses "Tourism Economics" and "Tourism Policy and Development". In April 2007, he was elected Assistant Professor, in June 2012 Associate Professor, and in January 2018 Full Professor at the same Department. All the elections were conducted in social sciences, field of economics, while the last two elections were conducted in the branch of trade and tourism.
During his 20 years of working experience in science and higher education system, he proved himself as a teacher, scientist, researcher, reviewer and consultant. The main areas of his expertise are tourism economics, tourism consumption, special interest tourism, visitor attractions and collaboration networks in tourism. He has participated in several scientific and professional projects and has been a member of a number of program, scientific and organizational committees of international scientific conferences. Up to now, he has published more than 30 scientific papers in scietific books, university textbooks, scientific journals and books of proceedings from international scientific conferences, either alone or in co-authorship. In 2011, he won the "Mijo Mirković" award for the co-authorship of the university textbook "Tourism: economic fundamentals and organisational system" (written in Croatian).
He is course director and teaches "Tourism Economics", "Special Interest Tourism", "Tourism Principles" and "Fundamentals of Tourism" at all study levels at the Faculty of Economics & Business. During his career he has participated in teaching of a total of 19 different courses in the field of tourism at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb and the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. He has gained a wealth of academic experience in direct work with students, performing all forms of teaching, as well as mentoring over 250 student theses at all levels of study. For his teaching work, students regularly rewarded him with grades of more than 4.50 (out of maximum of 5.00).
He is a member of the editorial boards of three international scientific journals: "International Journal of Economics, Business and Financing", "Zagreb International Review of Economics and Business" and "Tourism and Hospitality Management". So far, he has reviewed over 60 papers for numerous scientific journals and book of proceedings from international scientific conferences, but also reviewed scientific books and university study programs in the field of tourism. As a delegate and moderator, he has participated in many international scientific conferences and round tables on tourism and has participated in organizing and realizing numerous study trips of students. Currently, he serves as a Vice Dean at his home Faculty and as a substitute member of the Social-Humanities Council of the University of Zagreb. In a professional sense, he is a member of the Croatian Society of Economists (CSE) and the Croatian Meeting Professionals Association (CMPA). He was enrolled in the Registry of Scientists of the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education under registration number 234581. He is fluent in English and has basic knowledge of Slovenian, German and Estonian languages.