Maria Thulemark

Maria Thulemark is an Associate Professor in Tourism Studies and Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Dalarna University's Department of Culture and Society. She serves as the center director for CeTLeR (Center for Hospitality Industry Research), bridging academic research with industry practice through collaborations with hospitality companies and organizations.

Her research program centers on tourism with a strong emphasis on social sustainability, examining the intersections of mobility, work, gender, and power relations within the hospitality industry. She investigates how work is organized, how sustainable working conditions are created, career paths in the industry, and how location affects the creation of an equal and sustainable labor market.

Dr. Thulemark teaches primarily in tourism science programs and has specific course responsibility for 'Royal Djurgården – The place and the tourism industry.' She supervises students at various levels, including doctoral students conducting research in human geography and work science.

Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on hospitality work conditions, with studies examining work identities during crises, refinement of research methods, experiences of invisible work, corporate social responsibility in combating sex trafficking, and mobility patterns among hotel housekeepers in Sweden.

• Current research project: 'How do we get more people to want to work in the kitchen?' (started June 2024)
• Research approach: Qualitative methodologies with emphasis on participant observation
• Key contribution: Bridging academic research and industry practice through CeTLeR