Tourism Research

At the Institute for Tourism and Development, we conduct our own quantitative and qualitative research as well as commissioned studies – with a focus on tourism in developing countries and emerging economies. We monitor and research conditions, types, and impacts of tourism development and travel activities and show risks and opportunities for sustainable tourism development.
Apart from general quantitative analyses of the German source market for holiday packages, our topics include assessing the impacts of tourism on countries of the Global South, the responsiveness of German tourists to specific tourism-related issues, and research on the image of destinations or on forms of travel. The research by the Institute for Tourism and Development is based on our regular participation (mainly with our exclusive questions included) in the annual Reiseanalyse (travel analysis), a survey representative of the German population (about 8000 face-to-face interviews). It is conducted by Forschungsgemeinschaft Urlaub und Reisen e.V. (F.U.R), which was once co-founded by the Institute in 1994.
Furthermore, the research and consultancy services offered by the Institute also include qualitative research as part of participant observation, expert or staff surveys, and feasibility studies.

Our research projects (partly in cooperation with partner organisations)

  • Tourism in developing and newly industrialised countries (quantitative and qualitative development aspects)
  • Assessment of the impacts of tourism to developing and newly industrialised countries (survey representing the total population)
  • Responsiveness of German tourists to getting to know countries and people and to intercultural learning on holidays (survey representing the total population)
  • Responsiveness of German tourists to nature and environment-related aspects in connection with holiday travel (survey representing the total population)
  • Responsiveness of German tourists to human rights violations in tourist destinations (survey representing the total population)
  • Experiences and expectations of German tourists with regard to tour guides/local representatives during holidays in developing and newly industrialised countries (survey representing the total population)
  • Opinions of German tour operators on tourism in developing and newly industrialised countries (survey at management level)
  • Assessment of the development of long-haul travel (Delphi expert survey in A, CH, D)

Commissioned research / consultancy (conducted under the condition that the questions to be researched are also of interest to us)

  • Analyses of the German source market for holiday travel with regard to the demand/ potential interest in tourist destinations and forms of travel (survey representing the total population)
  • Research of factors in favour or against holiday travel to a certain destination (survey representing the total population)
  • Participant observation to analyse holiday situations, types of holidays/kinds of holidays
  • Staff surveys to improve labour conditions and the quality of tourism services
  • Feasibility studies of sustainable tourism development projects