SERVICES
Applied Research
Some of our experiences in the field of applied research
2026-28
Open Mind
This project by the FHGR is developing inclusive tourism for people with cognitive impairments in Swiss mountain destinations by analyzing needs and existing offerings, testing pilot products, and establishing training programs for businesses and destinations. The goal is to enable greater participation, boost the off-season, and enhance competitiveness and social sustainability in tourism.
Large Predators and Tourism
This project by FHGR develops strategies to help tourism in regions where large predators—particularly wolves—are returning better avoid conflicts while simultaneously creating new tourism offerings. To this end, it focuses on dialogue platforms, visitor information and management, potential analyses, and the development and testing of new products for guests and local stakeholders.
2025-27
2025-26
Climate change and the future of snow and mountain tourism destinations
This consultancy by the FHGR supports UN Tourism’s research on how climate change is affecting snow and mountain tourism destinations in Europe and what adaptation strategies are working. It combines desk research, survey analysis, case studies, stakeholder engagement, and a final report with recommendations for destination managers, the private sector, and policymakers.
Climate Neutral Destinations in Grisons (CH)
Together with the destinations Arosa, Davos and Valposchiavo as well as Myclimate, Christian Baumgartner is working for the FHGR on a method of a comprehensive climate footprint calculation and monitoring for tourist destinations. Reduce, avoid and compensate the rest for the time being should bring tourism to the political agreed net zero.
In parallel, research is being conducted into the best means of communication (when, how, where, …) to address travelers in order to turn them from supposed sufferers into allies in the fight against climate change.
2021-2023
2020
Impact Evaluation Education for Sustainable Development (German Page)
Christian Baumgartner is conducting an impact evaluation project on Education for Sustainable Development at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons. It aims at evaluating the impact of the education but also of extra-curricular activities at the UAS Graubünden on the sustainable behavior of the students or graduates at different points in time.
In order for graduates to be able to act and decide sustainably at their future workplaces on the one hand, and on the other hand to be able to contribute to sustainable development in their private and social environment, the curricula of the various fields of study integrate diverse aspects of sustainable development in varying breadth and depth. In terms of teaching, this means that students must be familiar with the most important principles and concepts of sustainable development and be able to define, discuss and classify them. In addition to the course content, opportunities for commitment and co-determination and the role model effect of the UAS Graubünden employees also make a decisive contribution to this objective. Students at the UAS Graubünden should develop skills during their time at the UAS that contribute to creating lasting value for businesses and for society as a whole, and to creating an inclusive and sustainable global economy.
Sustainability evaluation in Jordan
On behalf of the Jordanian partner agency Weltweitwandern, the sustainability of the travel offering in the country was examined. As part of a covert observation, a travel group was accompanied and suggestions were drawn up to optimize the offer and improve the training of the guides.
2018
2017
Evaluation of a EuropeAid project in Kyrgyzstan
In the south of Kyrgyzstan, the evaluation of the EU-funded project “INITIATIVE – Innovative Income Tools and Integrated Approaches to Improve Employment of Villagers” was commissioned by lead partner Eco-Himal. New orchards in extremely dry areas are made possible by drip irrigation through hoses made of local plastic waste. Great project with economic, social and ecological benefits.
EU pool of COSME evaluators
Christian Baumgartner is member of the expert pool for the evaluation of applications in the Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME).
2017
2016
Evaluation of the Thomas Cook project ’Water Footprint’
As water scarcity is a problem for some tourism destinations already and will be even more so in the future, Thomas Cook has established this project to reduce the pressure that tourism accommodation is putting on already scarce water resources and to identify areas of improvement for their hotels to save both water as well as energy. response & ability was commissioned to do this evaluation during spring and summer 2016.
www.futouris.org/en/projects/wertvolles-wasser
Evaluation of the GIZ Sector Program ’Sustainable Development through Tourism’
Commissioned by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) the phasing out three annual phase 2013-2016 of the Sector Program ‘Sustainable Development through Tourism’ was evaluated concerning its relevance, effectivity, impact, efficiancy and sustainability.
2015-2016
2014-2015
Human Rights in Tourism
Commissioned by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) research concerning ‘Human Rights and Tourism’ was done from 2014-2015. Together with Matthias Beyer (mascontour) and others 160 cases worldwide were examined, two on-site analyses were done (Zanzibar/Tanzania und Dominican Republic) and extensive recommendations for the development and up-grading of existing instruments were done, with the intention to avoid human right violations in tourism.
Evaluation of the International Tourism Course of ITH Salzburg
On behalf of ADA (Austrian Development Agency), Christian Baumgartner, Margit Leuthold and Kerstin Freudenthaler evaluated the International Tourism Course of ITH Salzburg.
2008-2009
2013-2015
e-learning training materials
InRuTou (Innovation in Rural Tourism) aimed at developing and testing a set of e-learning tools for facilitating the development of sustainable tourism in rural areas, specifically in mountainous regions.
Development of a methodology for the sustainability assessment of destinations
A complex, process-oriented – and consequently workable – methodology for sustainability assessment was developed on behalf of the Tourism Section of the Austrian Ministry of Research, Science and Economy. A corresponding publication was released in 2005 by Studienverlag.
The results were subsequently input, inter alia, into ETIS (European Tourism Indicator Scheme), the current EU assessment system for the management of destinations.
http://www.studienverlag.at/page.cfm?vpath=buecher/buchdetail&titnr=1784
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/offer/sustainable/indicators_en
2004
2003
Development of a methodology for the sustainability assessment of travel portfolios
Modelled on the example of the Desert Team, a Swiss travel agency specialising in desert tours, Christian Baumgartner and Margit Leuthold developed a methodology for an accompanying observation and analysis of sustainability. This methodology permits organisers to identify their weak points and to come up with effective improvement measures.
The analysis of two trips in the Libyan Akakus and in the Egyptian White Desert was published by Profil Verlag.
Burma / Myanmar
In response to the first direct flight of a European airline to Yangon (Burma), NGOs launched a boycott campaign against tourism in Burma. Drawing on research conducted in Myanmar and on talks with representatives of the Burmese government in exile Christian Baumgartner together with Margit Leuthold and Daniel Predota, investigated the sense of purpose and the relevance of this campaign from the viewpoint of development policy. A sensitisation brochure subsequently compiled on this issue was published in a revised version in 2013 under changed political auspices.
2002-2003
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