''Where is Tourism in Austria Headed?''
Tourism is one of the major focuses of MODUL University’s research interests and study programs, preparing students to work in the field or to continue their academic careers. The industry constitutes an important part of the Austrian economy, currently accounting for about 7.5% of the GDP and employing approximately 330,000 people.
Due to the importance of the tourism industry and the need for implementation of measures to optimize tourism development, the Austrian Federal Minister for Economy, Family and Youth instituted an expert advisory board for tourism strategy in 2010. The main task of this expert group is to prepare a report on decision-making policy relevant to tourism, pointing out issues such as problems of tourism, development trends, growth opportunities and challenges, and to propose appropriate measures.
MU professor and Austrian Institute for Economic Research leader Egon Smeral is the coordinator of the council which also includes MU President Karl Wöber, Martin Lohmann (University of Lüneburg and NIT Kiel, and MU Tourism Advisory Board Member and lecturer in the MBA program), Hans Rudi Müller (University of Bern), and Harald Pechlaner (Catholic University of Eichstätt and EURAC Bolzano).
This advisory council meets annually at a nation-wide tourism conference which is held to present its latest report. After successful conferences in Linz in 2011 and Schladming in 2012, the 2013 edition took place in Bregenz on April 25th with Dr. Smeral, Dr. Wöber, Dr. Lohmann and Dr. Pechlaner in attendance. The three day event gathered academics and industry people from around the country to engage in discussion of relevant topics in tourism and discuss this report at length.
The primary focus of this year’s report shed light on future tourism development opportunities on the basis of structural characteristics and the imminent changes, as well as the course of action for tourism policy, whereby the necessary long-term safeguarding of the tourism infrastructure and mobility constitute major constraints. Special chapters elaborated the situation of tourism education and research, as well as making an in-depth analysis of management perspectives of the destination networks.
Stemming from the conference, this topic will be revisited on the other side of the country at the Kahlenberger Gespräche held at MODUL University Vienna. On Wednesday, June 12th, the fourth instalment of this conversation series will be held under the title ‘’ Der Tourismus in Österreich Quo Vadis? Herausforderungen von Morgen - Diskussion des Berichts des Expertenbeirats „Tourismusstrategie“ or ‚‘Where is Tourism in Austria Headed? Challenges of tomorrow – Discussion on the Tourism Strategy Expert Advisory Board’s Annual Report‘‘.
The event (in German) will be moderated by Mag. Ulrike Reisner, Author and Journalist. Prof. Smeral will give the keynote speech, and Dr. Wöber will be joined on the discussion panel by Dr. Martin Schick of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce, Hotellerie, Fachgruppe Wien, Dr. Petra Stolba, Manager of the Austrian National Tourist Office and Günther Greul, Editor of TAI - Tourismuswirtschaft Austria International.
Following the discussion, audience participants will have the chance to ask the experts directly in the open question round, and the evening will be topped off by networking cocktails with a view over the lights of Vienna.
Registration is free, please send confirmation to Katrin Meilke at katrin.meilke@modul.ac.at to attend.
