Stella Kostopoulou is Associate Professor of Regional and Tourism Development at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Department of Economics. She has also taught under- and postgraduate courses at Cyprus University of Technology, Hellenic Open University, International Hellenic University, Democritus University of Thrace, University of Thessaly, and gave lectures at Universities and International Organisations abroad (Peking University, La Trobe University, York University, Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO), OTIE-Observatory on Tourism). She is the Departmental ECTS/Erasmus/LLP Coordinator of the Department of Economics, AUTh and the Institutional Coordinator for the Agreement of Scientific Cooperation AUTh-Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. She has published on regional economics and planning, tourism, cultural industries and local development in international scientific journals e.g. Sustainability, Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, International Journal of Sustainable Development.