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OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE TEACHES US TO RECOGNISE CRISES EARLY ON

  • 12.12.2025
  • Research
Eine Gruppe von Menschen vor neben einem Plakat vor einem Fenster.
© HOK

Participants in the certificate course Resilience Manager in Tourism at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol.

The new certificate course Resilience Manager in Tourism is gaining momentum: The course Operational Resilience I began in October 2025. Participants gained fundamental insights into key crisis and resilience topics, preparing them optimally for the rest of the course content.

At the end of October 2025, the three-part course Operational Resilience I: Resilience & Crisis Prevention began as a central component of the part-time certificate course Resilience Manager in Tourism. 

As the core module of the programme, which was carried out in cooperation with the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and as part of the INTERREG project Resilient Tourism, participants gained insights into types of crises, early detection, stakeholder management and crisis management in tourism. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Nicola Zech, they expanded their understanding of how tourism organisations can identify crises at an early stage and become resilient in the long term through preventive action.

TYPES OF CRISIS AND BUSINESS RESILIENCE

The first online session kicked off with a thorough introduction to the basics of operational resilience. Prof. Dr. Nicola Zech highlighted the key components and framework conditions that promote operational resilience. These include an open and innovation-friendly corporate culture, technological robustness, and flexible and adaptable structures and processes.

In addition, participants learned about different types of crises and their impact on operational structures and decision-making processes – from economic and health-related challenges to technological and reputation-related challenges.

Menschen in einem Vorlesungsaal, die einer anderen Person zuhören.
© HOK

The three-part course began in October 2025 with the module Operational Resilience I: Resilience & Crisis Prevention. 

CRISIS IDENTIFICATION TOOLS

The focus of the second unit, a full-day in-person event at the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences in Tyrol, was on analysis tools that help companies identify critical developments in good time. 

The participants worked with a variety of methods, including:

  • Early warning indicators such as cancellation rates, booking declines or guest feedback, as well as social media trends;

  • Scenario analyses to realistically assess possible future developments – from pandemics to IT failures;

  • Stakeholder surveys that provide valuable insights into internal and external risk factors;

  • SWOT and PESTLE analyses to identify weaknesses and assess external influencing factors.

This highlighted how strongly the tourism industry is influenced by external factors – such as political conditions, extreme weather, global market trends and media sentiment. Continuous monitoring of these developments is essential today in order to be able to respond resiliently. Magdalena Ofer, course participant and deputy head of tourism marketing at Wilder Kaiser, emphasises: "In tourism in particular, it is constantly a matter of adapting. Difficult situations require flexible responses, and that is exactly what you have to learn."

A highlight of the day was an interactive group exercise in which participants used a real-life tourism crisis to work out how identification and management can be implemented in practice.

Eine Gruppe von Menschen von Hinten in einem Hörsaal, vorne eine Präsentation.
© HOK

In interactive group work, participants developed proposed solutions for real tourism crises.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT

In the third unit at the end of November, participants explored the role of stakeholders throughout the crisis in a final online session and discussed why their demands should be specifically taken into account. Using a stakeholder map and a tactical matrix, they discussed how influence, prioritisation and communication channels can be systematically managed in crises. In addition, Prof. Dr. Nicola Zech's integrated crisis management model illustrated how prevention, preparedness, response and recovery interlock to successfully guide tourism organisations through crises.

OUTLOOK FOR THE REMAINING COURSE MODULES

Following the successful launch, participants can look forward to further exciting modules. "The course is ideal for anyone who is looking for an exchange on equal terms, wants to gain expertise from specialists and make a long-term difference – whether personally, in their company or in a destination," emphasises Thomas Wurzinger, course participant and sustainability manager at Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH.

Following this positive feedback, the Resilience Manager in Tourism course will continue in the coming months with the Regional Resilience module. This can also be completed individually as a micro-credential with 5 ECTS credits, and registrations are still open. 

The next complete courses will start on 23 January 2026 and 9 October 2026. Thanks to INTERREG funding, participation in all events in 2026 is free of charge.

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