Kerstin Heuwinkel

Prof. Dr. Kerstin Heuwinkel is a Professor of International Tourism Management specializing in Tourism Sociology at Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar) since 2005. She teaches in both the Bachelor's program in International Tourism-Management and directs the Master's program in Leisure, Sports, Tourism Management. Her office is located in Room AE-19 at Waldhausweg 14, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.

Dr. Heuwinkel holds a PhD from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (2004) and studied sociology, information science, and political science in Düsseldorf and Barcelona. Prior to her professorship, she headed a working group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering from 2002 to 2005.

Her research centers on tourism sociology with a strong focus on responsible tourism, particularly examining sport tourism and its potential for social entrepreneurship and female empowerment. Dr. Heuwinkel's interdisciplinary approach combines sociological and information science perspectives to address contemporary tourism challenges. She investigates how tourism can contribute to sustainable development, gender equality, and community empowerment, with particular attention to family travel patterns, destination branding, and the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals in tourism education.

Dr. Heuwinkel's recent publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory toward examining tourism through the lenses of social responsibility, gender equity, and sustainable development. Her work spans from theoretical explorations of tourism sociology to practical applications in destination management, community-based tourism, and educational frameworks that integrate global citizenship principles. The recurring themes across her publications reveal a commitment to addressing power dynamics in tourism, promoting inclusive practices, and developing innovative teaching formats that prepare future tourism professionals for complex global challenges.

• ITB BookAward (2019) for 'Tourismussoziologie'

As an active member of the academic community, Dr. Heuwinkel serves on the board of the German Society for Tourism Science (DGT) and participates in the Working Group Tourism Research (AKTF) of the German Society for Geography. She regularly reviews for the DAAD (Erasmus+ KA2 program) and academic journals, contributing to the advancement of tourism scholarship. Her teaching responsibilities include courses on Tourism Sociology and Psychology, Cultural Management, Interkultural Competence, and Methods of Empirical Social Research, where she supervises final theses upon request.

Dr. Heuwinkel's work extends beyond traditional academic boundaries through her engagement with practical applications of tourism research. Her interdisciplinary background enables her to bridge theoretical insights with real-world tourism challenges, particularly in the areas of sport tourism, community development, and gender equity. Her current research continues to explore the potentials of responsible tourism for creating meaningful social impact.