On June 12 and 13, 2025, 19 students from the second semester of the Bachelor’s program in Tourism & Hospitality Management embarked on a culinary enjoyable and group-dynamically valuable trip to Langenlois. The excursion was planned, organized and carried out as part of the project management course and was therefore not only tourism-related but also a practical teaching project. Under the motto “Experience wine and the region”, the project team responsible developed a program that combined theory and practice in one of Austria’s most renowned wine regions.
Experience wine and the region
The trip focused not only on tastings, but above all on direct interaction with regional hosts and winemakers. The students visited the LOISIUM Wine & Spa Hotel, the LOISIUM WeinWelt and the traditional Steininger winery, among others. A commented wine hike and visits to typical wine taverns rounded off the program.
“We wanted to show how much wine and tourism work together in this region,” explained student and project manager David Kemper. The aim of the excursion was not only to observe, but to actively experience tourism-related content, from the vine to hospitality.
Questions, exchanges and aha moments
The tour of the LOISIUM Wine & Spa Hotel was particularly impressive. This was particularly exciting for the students who would like to work in this industry themselves. In addition to specialist information on positioning and target groups, the students also gained in-depth insights into the hotel’s event concept. Martina Lebensorger, General Manager of the hotel, inspired the group with her passion for quality and design. She particularly highlighted the modern conference rooms:
“I have been working in Austria, then in the USA for six years, but I have seen almost nothing comparable when it comes to the facilities in our meeting rooms. They are architecturally beautiful and at the same time well designed. As a hotelier enters these rooms; your heart really opens.”
The second day started with a wine tour with winemaker Anna Leithner. She not only passed on interesting information about wine, the region and cultivation, but also shared her experiences with the students:
“Wine is a drink that can bring people together and is always a good topic of conversation. It is not only important to be aware of the strengths of wine, but also that you [the students] become aware of your strengths during your studies so that you can use them in a targeted manner.”
The excursion to Langenlois was more than just a study trip. It was a practical laboratory for applied quality tourism. The students learned that successful wine tourism needs more than just good products. It is about experiences, regionality and authentic contact with producers. Through independent project planning, the students were also able to acquire key project management skills and apply them in practice.
>> More information about the Bachelor’s program in Tourism & Hospitality Management