Theresa Mitterer-Leitner

Theresa Mitterer-Leitner is a Lecturer and Research Associate at MCI Management Center Innsbruck, specializing in tourism management and sustainable development. She coordinates the Tourism Business Studies program and has held roles in teaching, project management, and academic research since 2012. Her PhD in Management (University of Innsbruck) focuses on tourism and leisure in mountain regions. She is actively involved in regional sustainability initiatives such as the Tyrolean Way strategy for responsible tourism development. Her research explores the interplay between tourism and agriculture, particularly in alpine environments, emphasizing sustainable resource use and conflict management.

Education:

• PhD Candidate, Doctoral Program Tourism and Leisure in Mountain Regions (University of Innsbruck, ongoing)
• MA Entrepreneurship & Tourism (MCI Management Center Innsbruck, 2011)
• Bachelor's in Management in Tourism and Leisure Industry (MCI, 2009)
• Semester abroad at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland, 2009)

Research Interests: Sustainable tourism practices, alpine tourism dynamics, agriculture-tourism synergies, destination management, and strategic policy frameworks. She frequently addresses topics like carrying capacity in tourism, regional food supply chains, and the cultural-economic role of alpine farming.

Key Projects:

• Lead researcher on Tyrolean tourism strategy development (2013–present)
• Investigated leadership competencies in Tyrolean tourism (2015)
• Explored tourism-agriculture conflicts in alpine regions (2020–2021)

Awards:

• Science Award from Tyrol Chamber of Commerce (2011)
• CAST Ideas Competition Finalist (2010)

Teaching & Advising: Supervised over 30 bachelor's/master's theses on topics ranging from sustainable food systems to generational shifts in tourism entrepreneurship. Actively contributes to continuing education programs for tourism stakeholders.

Labs/Teams: Core member of MCI Tourism research group focusing on mountain region tourism challenges and innovations.