Tourism as an important economic driver
The World Tourism Day on 27 September sets out to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability. Tourism creates jobs, promotes local culture and products, works in the sustainable use and management of the environment and improves measures to make tourism an inclusive experience for all.
Tourism employs one in every ten people on Earth. Because of the pandemic, 100-120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk. But the restart of tourism will help kickstart recovery and growth.
Helping to shape one of the world’s most important economic sectors
At IMC Krems, tourism students are concentrating on exactly these challenges and opportunities. In their studies, they address questions such as: What are tourists’ top needs? What might tourism products look like in the future? How do you market a tourist destination? How do you stage an event and what challenges are involved?
Since 1994 approximately 3,000 graduates have completed the tourism programmes offered by IMC Krems in Austria, Azerbaijan (Baku), China (Sanya), Vietnam (Hanoi) and in Uzbekistan (Tashkent). As experts and pioneers in their field, they are well prepared to help lift tourism to the next level and work on solutions for a more sustainable future.
Innovations and new approaches for a promising future
“Of all economic sectors, tourism was hit the hardest by the crises and we have been facing many challenges as a consequence. However, so many innovations and new approaches have been coming up recently. Tourism still is one of the most exciting areas to work in. I am sure that our students will be the pioneers to lift tourism to the next level and work on solutions for a more sustainable future. Our team of professors give their very best to prepare students for this!”, emphasises Claudia Bauer-Krösbacher, programme director of our Tourism and Leisure Management bachelor degree programme.
Now is the time for a joined effort for the tourism industry
“On world tourism day, we must remember the importance of tourism for so many destinations in developed and developing countries alike. Tourism is still a number one income generator for people around the globe from various backgrounds, ethnicities and with the most diverse skills. While travel is slowly resuming now, we must also not forget that tourism is far from recovered – much effort is still needed to restart tourism, particularly in destinations severely affected by the pandemic. It needs all our efforts – businesses’, residents’, academics’ and also students’ to come up with innovative ideas in order to make tourism the sustainable livelihood generator for destinations that it deserves to be.”, adds Claudia Dolezal, tourism expert and IMC lecturer.
Building strong tourism networks for the future
“The Covid-19 pandemic not only pointed out the vulnerability of the tourism industry but also showed how important traveling is for people. Our professors, researchers and students cooperate and support the tourism industry to find solutions for important problems and build a strong tourism network for the future in which digitalisation and information and communication technologies will play an important role.”, stresses Larissa Neuburger, the newest addition to the academic team of the Tourism and Leisure Management programme.
MORE ABOUT THE BACHELOR PROGRAMME TOURISM AND LEISURE MANAGEMENT
