Naresh P Nayak

School: The Business School
Department: Management
Position: Associate Lecturer
Location: RMIT Saigon South
Email: naresh.nayak@rmit.edu.vn 
ORCID: 0000-0002-2137-8315

Naresh Nayak, a seasoned educator, and researcher, has submitted his Ph.D. thesis in the Department of Tourism at the University of Otago, New Zealand, bringing over 15 years of diverse experience to his academic journey. Progressing from Lecturer to Assistant Professor - Selection Grade at Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal University, Naresh has made impactful contributions in India and Dubai.

His international roles as Teaching Fellow and Tutor at the University of Otago showcased his commitment to inspiring students. With expertise in rooms division operations gained at The Leela Hotels in India and the Millennium Group of Hotels in New Zealand, Naresh possesses a global perspective on luxury hospitality. His research focuses on tourism and hospitality education, sustainable tourism, consumer behavior, and water management in the hospitality industry.

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Tourism) – University of Otago, New Zealand | Submitted Thesis in October, 2023
  • Executive Post Graduate Diploma in Management, Alliance Business School, Bangalore, India, 2013
  • Bachelor in Hotel Management– Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal University, India, 2008

Tourism & Hospitality Management

  • Water Management
  • Sustainable Tourism
  • Regenerative Hospitality
  • Visitor Management
  • Pilgrimage Studies
  • Coffee and Wine Tourism

Journal research Article - Publications

  • Polus, R., Shaheer, I., & Nayak, N. P. (2024). Pilgrimage in the COVID-19 Era: Uncovering Supply Side Challenges and Opportunities in Media Representations. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 12(1), 5. 
  • Nayak, N. P., Albrecht, J. N., & Coetzee, W. (2023). Water Management in Hotels Using Tap Specs in Conjunction with the Ishikawa Approach. In Teaching Cases in Tourism, Hospitality and Events (pp. 125-137). GB: CABI. 
  • Nayak, N., Polus, R., & Piramanayagam, S. (2023). What can online reviews reveal about Tourism Destination Image? A netnographic approach to a pilgrim destination in India. Tourism Recreation Research, 1-17. 
  • Shaheer, I., Nayak, N., & Polus, R. (2022). Challenges and opportunities for sacred journeys: a media representation of the impact of COVID-19. Tourism Recreation Research, 1-7. 
  • Rao, Abhishek S and Nayak, Naresh (2017) A study on Effectiveness of Inventory Management & Control System in milk producer organization, International Journal of Logistics System & Management, 28 (02). pp. 253-266. ISSN 1742-7967  
  • Nayak, N., Prabhu, N., & Shetty, R. (2017). How do managers perceive outsourcing in differently structured star hotels International Journal of Applied Business and Economic Research, 15(26), 229-234? 
  • Rao, Abhishek S and Nayak, Naresh Nayak P (2017) A study on the effectiveness of inventory management and control system in a milk producer organization. International Journal of Logistic systems and management, 28 (02). pp. 253-266. ISSN 1742-7975. 
  • Nayak, Naresh and Pai, Anusha and Prabhu, Narayana and Granil, Preetham D (2015) Management Perspective of Employee Turnover in the Housekeeping Department. International Journal of Management and Social Sciences research, 4 (9). pp. 4-7. ISSN 2319-4421.  
  • Naresh, Nayak and Pai, Anusha and Prabhu, Narayan and Kumar, Manish (2015) Online Shopping Patterns amidst Students with Respect to Food Products. International Journal of Management and Social Sciences research, 4 (9), pp. 27-33. ISSN 2319-4421. 
  • Nayak, Naresh and Pai, Anusha and Prabhu, Narayan (2015) Employee Satisfaction in the Housekeeping Department at 5-star hotels. International Journal of Management and Social Sciences research, 4 (8). pp. 9-18. ISSN 2319-4421 
  • Nayak, N., Nayak, S.D., Chundawat, M.S., Sinh, H., Singh, P., Dorkadi, R. Factors influencing travelers’ preference towards online travel agents over hotel websites (2019) Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems, 11 (2 Special Issue), pp. 2232-2243. 
  • Nayak, N., Prabhu, N., Senthilkumaran, P., & Arora, R. (2019). Antecedents and consequences of contract out services of various star category hotels in Bengaluru. Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems, 11(2 Special Issue), 2185-2196. 
  • Naresh P. Nayak, Sudhakar D. Nayak, Narayan B. M. Prabhu, Keya Bakshi, Shahid Ummer (2020). The Importance of Emotional Intelligence and its Effects on Stress and Job Satisfaction Levels of Hospitality Employees in the UDUPI District, Test Engineering and Management-The Mattingley Publishing Co., Inc, Issue-82, pp. 5840 – 5848. ISSN 0193 4120. 

Chapter in Book - Research 

  • Nayak, Naresh P, Albrecht Julia and Coetzee Willem, accepted for publication (2023) Water Management in Hotels Using Tap Specs in conjunction with the Ishikawa Approach, Teaching Cases In Tourism, Hospitality And Events, eISBN : 978-1-80062-101-5.
  • Nayak, Naresh (2011) Sustainability of LEED in the housekeeping department. National Conference on Trending Hospitality. Center for Publications, Christ University, pp. 89-99. ISBN 978-81-922281-0-5.
  • Nayak, Naresh P and Prabhu, Narayan B M (2013) Socio-Economic Impacts on Pilgrimage tourism with reference to Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt, Karnataka. In: 4th Annual National seminar on business and management of tourism. Centre for publications, Christ University, Bangalore, pp. 63-71. ISBN 97893-8230511-8.

Authored Book- Regional Cookbook

  • Naresh P. Nayak, Chef Sudhakar Nayak, Mrs. Tejaswini Vikram Nayak (2019), Amchigele Delight, from the Kitchens of Nayak. (177p).

Article in Media 

  • What do you see when 80% of Vietnamese tourists want to go abroad during the summer?, https://lifestyle.znews.vn/thay-gi-khi-80-khach-viet-muon-xuat-ngoai-dip-he-post1479093.html  
  • Strongest El Niño in years looms over water supplies and farming https://www.stuff.co.nz/climate change/350130062/strongest-el-nino-years-looms-over-water-supplies-and-farming  

  • Doctoral Grant, Naresh P Nayak, University of Otago, Water management in the Accommodation Sector. NZ $1,28,500 (Successful) 
  • Naresh P Nayak, Experimental Project in the Motel Business , University of Otago. NZ $3500 (Successful) 
  • Naresh P Nayak, Brooker and Hello World Travel Conference Grant, University of Otago, NZ $2000 (Successful) 
  • Enhancing Restaurant Skills for Annapoorna Catering. INR 2,50,000 (Successful)  

(Undergraduate and Masters) 

  • Keya Bakshi, Bachelor’s Dissertation Applied Project. Department of Hotel Management, WGSHA, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Manipal, Karnataka, India  
  • Taksh Bojwani, Bachelor’s Dissertation Applied Project. Department of Hotel Management, WGSHA, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Manipal, Karnataka, India  
  • Meghana Gudugar, Master’s Dissertation Applied Project. Department of Allied Hospitality Studies, WGSHA, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Manipal, Karnataka, India  
  • Prajakta T, Masters Dissertation Applied Project. Department of Allied Hospitality Studies, WGSHA, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Manipal, Karnataka, India

  • Featured in the famous television show TWIST OF TASTE (On Fox Travelers in the year 2014 along with Michelin star Chef Vikas Khanna
  • Received best paper award at the South Asian research conference held at Bangkok, Thailand on the 21-22nd August 2019
  • Invited as a speaker and a session chair during the ISER 220th International conference held in Bangkok, Thailand on the 21- 22nd August 2019
  • Awarded the prestigious University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship in the year 2020-2023
  • Received the Best presentation award for the Graduate Seminar Series (PhD seminar for the year 2021), Department of Tourism, University of Otago
  • Received the Early Career Researcher award at the 3rd Critical Studies Conferences Asia Pacific held at the British Vietnam University, Hanoi in 2023
  • Received COVID-19 Response Recognition Award (Te Toha Urupare KOWHEORI-19) from Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, Prime Minister of New Zealand for my tenure as a Travel and Accommodation Coordinator at Te Whatu Ora, Southern region
  • From the farmlands of India to Aotearoa's hotel rooms – water conservation matters! featured on the University of Otago's website, his research on water conservation contributes substantial value to community sustainability practices

  • Management Trainee - Rooms Division, 2008 - 2010|Hotel Leela Palaces, Resorts, Mumbai, India 
  • Housekeeping Executive | Assistant Manager – Rooms Division, 2009- 2010| Hotel Leela Palaces, Resorts, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala & Udaipur, India 
  • Receptionist/duty manager - Rooms Division, 2020 – 202|Kingsgate Millennium, Dunedin, New Zealand 
  • Duty Manager, 2021 – 2022|Aurora on George, Dunedin, New Zealand 
  • Administrator, Covid 19, Vaccination centre, 2021-2022|Southern District Health Board, Dunedin, New Zealand 
  • Travel and accommodations coordinator, 2022 – 2023|Te Whatu Ora, Southern, Dunedin, New Zealand 
  • Client Services Administrator, DSM, Deans department, 0.8 FTE, 2023|University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand 
  • Coordinator, Community services and Covid 19, 2023 – 2024|Wellsouth Primary Health Network, Dunedin, New Zealand.

  • Lecturer, Hospitality and Tourism Management, School of Business and Management, RMIT University (Vietnam) | October 2023 to Present 
  • Assistant Professor- Selection Grade, Department of Accommodation Management, WGSHA, Manipal University| July 2018 to July 2023. 
  • Teaching Fellow-Department of Tourism, University of Otago| April 2020 to November 2020 
  • Tutor- Department of Tourism, University of Otago| October 2021 
  • Tutor- Department of Tourism, University of Otago| January 2022 to February 2022 
  • Assistant Professor-Senior Scale, Department of Accommodation Management, WGSHA, Manipal University| July 2013 to July 2018.   
  • Teaching Assistantship- Department of Commerce and Arts, Manipal University, Dubai Campus| October 2014 – December 2014 
  • Teaching Assistantship- Department of Commerce and Arts, Manipal University, Dubai Campus| November 2015 – December 2015 
  • Assistant Professor, WGSHA, Manipal University| April 2012 to July 2013 
  • Lecturer, WGSHA, Manipal University| January 2010 to April 2012