Urs Wagenseil

Urs Wagenseil is a Professor at the Lucerne School of Business, part of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). He leads the BSc 'International Sustainable Tourism' program in collaboration with the United Nations Tourism sector. His roles include teaching, research, and project management in sustainable tourism and destination development.

• Education:
  • 1992-1993: Bachelor of Business Administration, GSBA Zurich
  • 1985-1989: Eidg. Dipl. Turn- und Sportlehrer I + II, University of Basel

Research focuses on sustainable destination management, certifications (e.g., GSTC, TourCert), and entrepreneurial approaches in tourism. His work spans over 20 countries, including projects in Albania, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan. Key areas include stakeholder management, climate-neutral tourism, and strategic tourism development.

Publications emphasize sustainability frameworks, DMO roles, and innovation in tourism planning. Notable works include analyses of Alpine destinations and Russian tourism practices. Professional activities include GSTC certification assessments, TourCert auditing, and advisory roles for sustainability initiatives like Discover.Swiss.

Grants and projects involve strategic tourism plans for regions like Val d'Hérens (Switzerland) and training programs in sustainable destination management. He co-authored guidelines for federal tourism policy integration of sustainability and led feasibility studies for winter tourism in Kyrgyzstan.

Labs/Teams: Active in international networks such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the North Caucasus Federal University (Russia), and the Technical University Deggendorf (Germany).