At the George Washington University School of Business in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., Dr. Hawkins is engaged in tourism and hospitality management education and conducts policy-related research. He was appointed as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of Tourism Policy (an endowed chair) in 1994.

In 2003, he received the first United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Ulysses Prize for individual accomplishments in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in the area of tourism policy and strategic management. He coordinated the UNWTO Tourism Policy Forum focused on using tourism as a development assistance strategy, conducted at GW, October 18-20, 2004. He received the UNWTO Themis Foundation Science Fellow Award, in April, 2005 in Andorra.

He has extensive international consulting experience over the past 30 years for multilateral and bilateral development assistance agencies, governments and the private sector, including investment promotion, strategic planning, policy development, and human resource development. He currently serves as Chairman of Solimar International-an international tourism development firm with offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America. For further details, go to www.solimarinternational.com.