Programme
STiAS 2026

Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, the CEO of Austria Tourism, ceremoniously opens our two-day conference. With her welcoming words, she gives the starting signal for a program full of exciting content and encourages exchange and networking. Inspiring days marked by innovation and collaboration await us!

Andreas Winkelhofer, Managing Director of Upper Austria Tourism, extends a warm welcome to all conference participants on behalf of the province of Upper Austria.

We know what we should do. And yet we do not act. Why? Because facts alone do not move people - but meaning does. In her Opening Keynote, Tatjana Schnell shows why true engagement in tourism does not start with better arguments, but with the question of one's own why. What really drives us? What makes our work meaningful - for us, for guests, for future generations? And how do meaning and clear values become the basis for decisions that truly make a difference? A keynote that does not explain, but touches - and sets the tone for two days of sustainable transformation.

Sustainability rarely fails due to lack of knowledge but often because of the stories we tell about progress, success, and a good life. Narratives shape the expectations of guests, decisions of companies, and political priorities. They influence which visions of the future people find attractive—and which changes encounter resistance.

This thematic block examines the role of narratives and communication as strategic levers for transforming tourism. The central question is how sustainable development can be communicated in a way that not only convinces but also provides guidance, belonging, and willingness to act. Which narratives reach the vast majority who are fundamentally positive towards sustainability but only slightly change their behavior? What cognitive biases prevent effective communication? And how can tourism organizations, destinations, and companies tell stories that inspire enthusiasm for the future rather than convey deprivation?

International perspectives meet concrete experiences from Austrian tourism practice and are further explored in a joint discussion.

Framing Keynote: Johanna Gollnhofer, University of St. Gallen

Austrian Good Practice: Joschi Walch, Hotel Rote Wand

Subsequent panel discussion: Johanna Gollnhofer, University of St. Gallen / Joschi Walch, Hotel Rote Wand / Madeleine Mitrovic, TVB Ausseerland / Ewout Versloot, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions

What comes first – the strategy or the narrative? This seemingly simple question leads directly to the heart of sustainable transformation. Because before goals can be defined, measures developed, and effects measured, the question arises of which future visions provide guidance and which stories make change conceivable at all.

Building on the topic block on the importance of narratives in sustainability communication, this impulse sheds light on the interplay between narrative and strategy. Using international examples, it shows how narratives shape strategic decisions – and how, conversely, strategies can contribute to bringing new narratives to life. In doing so, this program point forms the bridge to the later topic block "The Strategic Why" and invites participants to question their own assumptions and actively engage in the discussion.

The future cannot be predicted, but the way we think about the future influences the decisions we make today. In light of climate change, technological acceleration, social tensions, and demographic changes, destinations face the challenge of redefining their role in an increasingly uncertain world. It's not enough to optimize existing systems. What's needed is the ability to question fundamental assumptions, develop alternative future scenarios, and reassess their purpose under changed conditions.

This thematic block understands Futures Thinking not as a forecasting tool, but as a strategic practice. Central is the question of how future competence can contribute to refining the 'Why' of a destination, creating long-term orientation, and actively shaping transformation. What future images guide our actions? What assumptions about growth, mobility, quality of life, or success shape tourism decisions—and are these still viable? How can scenarios, data, artificial intelligence, and futures methods be used to act not only more efficiently, but also more meaningfully and resiliently?

International perspectives from Futures Research, data analysis, and destination management show how futures thinking can help question strategic decisions, open up new courses of action, and make regenerative forms of tourism conceivable. The subsequent discussion deepens the question of how destinations can make their purpose a long-term guide even under uncertainty.

Framing Keynote: Joshua Ryan-Saha, Edinburgh Futures Institute

Austrian Good Practice: Edurne Estevez, Geoville – CCET

Subsequent Panel Discussion: Joshua Ryan-Saha, Edinburgh Futures Institute / Edurne Estevez, Geoville – CCET / Franziska Sunderlund, Visit Düsseldorf / Nicole Ortler, Tirol Werbung

With an impulse for the further development of Austrian tourism, State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner provides insights into current tourism policy priorities and the strategic significance of Vision T as a model for sustainable, future-oriented tourism development. The focus is on the challenges and opportunities of a competitive tourism location in Austria and the question of how the transformation of the sector can be successfully shaped together with the actors from tourism, business, and politics.

There are many visions for sustainable tourism. But what determines whether they lead to concrete actions, priorities, and measurable impacts? Between strategic aspirations and actual implementation lie political decisions, institutional frameworks, and the ability to align diverse interests in a common direction.

This topic block explores the role of strategies as a translation from long-term future visions to concrete actions. The focus is on how sustainability goals can be integrated into governance structures, financing mechanisms, and corporate decisions. What prerequisites are necessary for visions to have an impact? Where do conflicting goals arise between competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability? And how can strategic ambitions at the European, national, and corporate levels be connected?

International perspectives meet experiences from politics, destination management, and corporate tourism practice and are further deepened in a joint discussion.

Framing Keynote: Marlène Bartès, European Commission

Austrian Good Practice: Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil, Linz Tourism Association

Subsequent panel discussion: Marlène Bartès, European Commission / Marie-Louise Schnurpfeil, Linz Tourism Association / State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner, Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism / Verena Brandtner-Pastuszyn, Henriette Stadthotel Vienna

Ulrike Rauch-Keschmann looks back on the first day of STiAS and takes us through the highlights and key moments of the conference day.

At the Upper Austria Evening in the newly opened voestalpine Stahlwelt, dinner and networking come together with a striking shift in perspective: amidst industry, innovation and experience, it becomes clear how sustainability shapes the very fabric of Linz. An evening that not only brings people together, but also demonstrates why transformation is already a reality here.

Transport from the Tabakfabrik to the voestalpine Stahlwelt is provided.