Roland Schegg

Roland Schegg is a full professor at the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) in the School of Management, where he also serves as a researcher at the Institute of Tourism (ITO). His academic career spans over two decades, with previous affiliation at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) from 2000 to 2004.

Dr. Schegg received his bachelor's degree from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and completed his doctorate at the University of Geneva. His educational background forms the foundation for his expertise in tourism and digital transformation.

Schegg's research focuses primarily on digital transformation within the travel and tourism industry, exploring diverse areas such as digital distribution, website benchmarking, social media strategies, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, eService metrics, and innovation adoption and diffusion. He also studies (big) data analytics, tourism observatories, sustainable tourism, and destination management strategies, with a particular emphasis on promoting sustainable and forward-thinking practices in the tourism sector.

His recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strong focus on regenerative hospitality concepts, luxury guest segmentation, and data-driven tourism approaches. These works demonstrate a clear progression from traditional sustainability toward more transformative approaches that actively improve social-ecological systems rather than merely minimizing negative impacts.

• Regenerative Hospitality: Schegg has been instrumental in developing frameworks for regenerative hospitality, moving beyond sustainability to create businesses that actively improve social-ecological systems.
• Digital Transformation: His work on digital distribution channels, website benchmarking, and digital marketing has provided valuable insights for the tourism industry.
• Tourism Observatories: Schegg has contributed significantly to tourism data analysis and monitoring through various observatory projects.

Dr. Schegg has received funding from various sources including the HES-SO Rectorate, hotelleriesuisse, HOTREC, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). His research has practical applications for the tourism industry, particularly in helping destinations and businesses navigate digital transformation and sustainability challenges.

Schegg leads and collaborates with diverse research teams across institutions including the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), and works with industry partners to ensure his research has real-world impact. His current focus on regenerative hospitality represents a forward-looking approach to tourism that seeks to create positive impacts on local communities and ecosystems.