Marion Karl

Marion Karl is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism Marketing and Management at the University of Surrey's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, part of the Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD (2017) and Habilitation (2021) from Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich. Her research focuses on travel decision-making dynamics, sustainability, destination competitiveness, and accessibility. She leads the 'Visitor experience and destination marketing' theme at the Centre for Competitiveness of the Visitor Economy and is a Sustainability Fellow at the Institute for Sustainability.

• Education:
  • PhD in Economic Geography (2017), Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
  • Habilitation on space perception and behavior (2021), LMU Munich
• Affiliations:
  • Associate Editor, Tourism Geographies
  • Editorial Board, Journal of Travel Research and Annals of Tourism Research

Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical solutions, such as behavioral interventions to promote sustainable tourism practices. Recent research emphasizes temporal analysis of travel behavior, cognitive negotiation strategies, and pandemic-era decision-making. Key projects include AI-driven destination competitiveness frameworks and accessibility improvements for disabled travelers.

Marion’s articles explore topics like sustainable food choices in hospitality, non-traveler typologies, and the economic impacts of tourism solidarity. She co-supervises PhD students focusing on sustainable marketing and nudging behaviors. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly #12 (Responsible Consumption) and #11 (Sustainable Cities).

Grants & Labs: Leads the Centre for Competitiveness of the Visitor Economy and collaborates with the Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in Tourism. Active in interdisciplinary research teams addressing overtourism and post-pandemic recovery strategies.