Maja Turnšek

Associate Professor Maja Turnšek serves as Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor, holding a PhD in Media and Communication Science with habilitation in Tourism. Her institutional affiliations include active roles in three major European COST Actions: P-WILL (platform work), Geothermal-DHC (renewable energy), and SHiFT (climate resilience), establishing her as a key collaborator across 30+ European research institutions.

Her research integrates three dynamic fields: digital tourism transformation (examining algorithmic management and platform labor), communication psychology (analyzing emotional labor and crisis persuasion techniques), and climate innovation (developing aquaponics and geothermal solutions). This interdisciplinary approach bridges social sciences (5.06.03 Political Studies/Media) and economics (5.02.00), addressing critical challenges in sustainable tourism through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications.

Recent publications reveal a sharp focus on pandemic impacts and digital disruption, with notable work on COVID-19 travel avoidance behaviors and cultural belonging in media narratives. Her scholarship consistently connects digital platform dynamics with human experiences in tourism contexts, generating actionable insights for industry adaptation.

As an educator, she implements intensive mentoring philosophy emphasizing passion identification and capability development within small-group seminars. Her leadership in European research networks provides students with exceptional access to international projects and emerging fields like algorithmic tourism labor markets. Current grant activities through COST Actions demonstrate robust funding for collaborative research spanning digital work inclusion, climate resilience, and geothermal energy integration in tourism economies.