Justine joined IDEA as an Analyst in September 2024.

Her passion for travel and tourism has led her to explore and live in diverse locations, both near and far away from home. Throughout her journeys, she has been consistently fascinated by the impacts tourism can have on communities, the environment, local economies, and personal transformation, observing both its positive and negative effects.

Justine holds a bachelor’s degree in Tourism & Leisure Management from Erasmus Hogeschool Brussels, where her thesis focused on transforming Ghent’s ‘B401’ viaduct into a vibrant public space for both locals and tourists. Building on her bachelor studies, she completed a Master of Arts in Tourism Destination Management from Breda University of Applied Sciences. During her master’s program, she conducted extensive field research across Europe, offering strategic advice to Destination Management Organizations. Her research ultimately led her to explore the concept of Regenerative Tourism, with a specific focus on the policies of Visit Flanders. Her thesis has been featured in guest lectures for master’s students at BUAS and was published as a paper for a conference in Tasmania.

Post-graduation, Justine worked at NECSTouR, a European network for regional authorities promoting sustainable tourism, chaired by Visit Flanders. In this role, she collaborated with over 40 EU regional authorities, gaining comprehensive knowledge of best practices in European tourism. Her primary responsibility involved supporting the implementation of the Climate Action Plan, a key strategic initiative in which she also contributed to various European projects.