Anja Wollesen

Prof. Anja Wollesen is a Professor of Tourism at the Department of Economics at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences. She holds a PhD in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Kassel and a degree in Landscape Planning Engineering from TU Berlin. Her research focuses on sustainability management in tourism, World Heritage sites, and Slow Tourism. She has held leadership roles including Vice President for Teaching, Continuing Education, and Quality (2016–2022), and Vice Dean of the Business Department (2015–2016). She is affiliated with the German Institute for Tourism Research as a board member and serves on various national and regional committees, including the Dithmarschen National Park Board and the Trilateral Programming Committee on Wadden Sea Research.

• Education:
• PhD (2011): University of Kassel, Dissertation on "Balanced Scorecard in Museums"
• Landscape Planning Engineering (1993): TU Berlin
• Key Roles:
• Professor for Tourism (since 2012)
• Former Head of "International Tourism Management" program
• Member of ESD Certification Commission Schleswig-Holstein

Research Interests: Prof. Wollesen’s work intersects tourism’s environmental, cultural, and economic impacts, emphasizing sustainable practices and heritage preservation. She explores strategies for leisure infrastructure resilience amid demographic changes and advises on destination management, cultural institutions, and event planning.

Advisory & Grants: She advises organizations such as the Archaeological-Ecological Center Albersdorf and the German Tourism Association. Her projects address tourism’s role in safeguarding UNESCO World Heritage sites and promoting slow tourism.

Commissions & Boards:

• Member of Dithmarschen National Park Board (since 2009)
• Scientific member of Trilateral Wadden Sea Research Committee (since 2020)
• Advisory Board for Service Quality Germany (DTV)