Prof. Dr. Harald A. Friedl

“Why to care for more than Guests and Shareholders? Tourism Ethics as a Strategic Approach in Times of Multiple Crises”

• www.fh-joanneum.at

My name is Dr. Harald A. Friedl. I am an associate Professor for Sustainability and Ethics in Tourism at the Institute for Health and Tourism Management at FH JOANNEUM - University of Applied Sciences - in Bad Gleichenberg, Austria. Unintended consequences of tourism activities leading to critical rebound effects endangering tourism destinations in the long run are the focus of my researching, teaching, and consulting. As a lawyer, philosopher and social scientist by education, I worked for over 20 years in tourism world-wide, observing critical issues and developments in tourism. Engaged in many international projects focusing on competence-building in sustainable tourism and employability, I cooperate with partners in Europe, Africa and East Asia. I am a member of several national and international boards of tourism research institutions such as the „Tourism Panel on Climate Warming“(TPCC). Tourism is a cultural and economic “instrument” allowing us to transform the world into attractive and profitable products. If all stakeholders related to this process have fair chances to participate in profit while sustaining their living quality in a healthy environment, we are on the safe side. The condition for reaching this level of “sustainable” and “just” tourism is to better understand the complex impacts and consequences of tourism to become able to recognize, accept and execute our responsibility as tourism experts and managers. After all, we also want to earn good money with tourism in the future. That’s what I will talk about to you at the EHHOFA congress 2024.