Tourism Study: A Path Toward Resilience and Sustainability
- 23.06.2026
- Research
Junior Researchers Lea Carnuth (left) and Selina-Maria Schiller (right) of FH Kufstein Tirol have successfully completed their research project on resilient and sustainable tourism. The study provided valuable insights for crisis-resilient and environmentally sustainable hotel businesses in Tyrol.
Lea Carnuth and Selina-Maria Schiller of FH Kufstein Tirol have successfully completed their project on resilient tourism, demonstrating how hotels in Tyrol can operate in a crisis-resilient and environmentally sustainable way through targeted resource management.
Companies in Tyrol’s hotel industry are increasingly taking responsibility for the future and placing greater emphasis on environmental sustainability and crisis-aware business practices. In the project Resource Allocation in Hotel Businesses to Enhance Resilience and Sustainability, FH Kufstein Tirol researchers Selina-Maria Schiller, MSc, and Lea Carnuth, MA, examined how hotels can strategically deploy their human, financial, and intangible resources in order to become more resilient and environmentally efficient. The project was supported by the Tyrolean Early-Stage Researcher Funding Program (TNF) of the State of Tyrol.
What matters is a holistic approach in which sustainability and resilience are not viewed separately, but are integrated together into business management.
Lea Carnuth
Junior Researcher Leadership & Business Management
As junior researchers, they completed the project at the end of 2025. The study was based on a quantitative survey of 56 hotel businesses in Tyrol, supplemented by in-depth qualitative case studies. The aim was to assess the current situation and derive concrete, practice-oriented recommendations for action.
The findings show that resilience and environmental sustainability are already embedded in many hotels in Tyrol, although to varying degrees. Measures to ensure operational stability are already widespread; however, there is still significant room for development when it comes to environmental initiatives.
Sustainability Strengthens Operational Resilience
One of the study’s key findings is the proven link between environmental sustainability and resilience. Businesses with higher sustainability scores also tend to demonstrate greater resilience to crises. This confirms that the two concepts reinforce one another and together contribute to long-term competitiveness.
“The findings clearly show that sustainable measures not only bring environmental benefits, but also increase the resilience of hotel businesses,” says Selina-Maria Schiller.
The findings clearly show that sustainable measures not only bring environmental benefits, but also increase the resilience of hotel businesses.
Selina-Maria Schiller
Junior Researcher Leadership & Business Management
Recommendations for Practice
Based on the empirical findings, key recommendations for hotel businesses were developed. These include integrating sustainability and resilience into corporate strategy, as well as specifically promoting employee skills and competencies. Building regional networks and systematically reflecting on past crisis experiences also contribute to long-term stability.
“What matters is a holistic approach in which sustainability and resilience are not viewed separately, but are integrated together into business management,” adds Lea Carnuth.
The project results provide a well-founded basis for the further development of a sustainable and resilient tourism economy in Tyrol. At the same time, they contribute to the academic discussion and highlight concrete starting points for future research projects.
Research Focus: Tourism at FH Kufstein Tirol
The results of the project are being incorporated into the tourism research focus at FH Kufstein Tirol. One of the current initiatives in this area is the project Resilient Tourism, which is working on the further development of sustainable and digital tourism structures. The present TNF project provides an important empirical foundation for this work and complements existing research activities in the field of sustainable tourism development.
Links:
- Resilient Tourism | Research project
- Resilience and Sustainability in Tyrol’s Hotel Industry (2025) | Project results