Christian Laesser

Christian Laesser is a Professor and Senior Lecturer of Management at the University of St. Gallen, specializing in Tourism and Service Management. He leads the IMP-HSG (SBB Lab) and focuses on consumer behavior in service industries, financing of tourism infrastructure, destination management strategies, and digital transformation challenges in tourism sectors. His affiliations include roles in academic research, policy advising, and industry collaborations.

Laesser’s research spans over 20 years, emphasizing empirical studies of travel decision-making, crisis management in tourism, and innovative business models for destinations. He has published extensively on topics like NFT applications in tourism, AI-driven service management, and sustainable destination governance frameworks. His work bridges academic theory with practical industry solutions, particularly in alpine tourism regions.

• Research Highlights: Crisis resilience strategies, digital transformation trends, hybrid tourism consumer behavior, and DMO effectiveness frameworks
• Key Projects: St. Gallen Model for Destination Management, Travel Market Switzerland studies

His contributions include shaping policy recommendations for public transport financing and advocating for process-oriented destination management approaches. Collaborations with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and regional tourism boards highlight his industry-research nexus.