Skip to main content
Press Release

“Caring for the City”: Symposium on Sustainable Urban and Tourism Development at FHWien der WKW

June 30, 2025

In September 2025, international experts from research, administration, and business will discuss ways to make cities more livable. Public talks and walks invite everyone to participate.

Vienna, June 30, 2025 – FHWien der WKW is hosting the conference “Caring for the City: Entangled Challenges for Sustainable Urban and Tourism Development,” which will take place from September 24 to 26, 2025. It is being organized by the Tourism & Hospitality Management study programs of FHWien der WKW in cooperation with the “Urban Research” and “Social Inequality” sections of the Austrian Sociological Association. The aim is to create an interdisciplinary space for innovative solutions to the challenges of sustainable urban and tourism development and to bring together experts from urban research, tourism, administration, and business.

Rethinking tourism and the city – the case of Vienna

Vienna is not only the venue for the conference, but also a model for tourism that considers the needs of the population, visitors, and the economy in equal measure. “Vienna is an example of best practice for a sustainable travel destination in international comparison,” explains Cornelia Dlabaja, Endowed Professor for Sustainable Urban and Tourism Development at FHWien der WKW and Academic Chair of the conference. “We want to initiate a discourse between tourism and urban planning, science and practice, as well as politics and society,” says Dlabaja, who provides scientific support for the visitor economy strategy of the Vienna Tourist Board as part of her endowed professorship.

High-profile keynote dialogue kicks off the conference

The conference will begin with a keynote dialogue entitled “Caring for the City in Times of Multiple Crises and Transformations” with Norbert Kettner (Vienna Tourist Board), Ulrike Rauch-Keschmann (Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy), Cornelia Dlabaja (FHWien der WKW), Dominic Schmid (Vienna Chamber of Commerce), Julia Girardi-Hoog (City of Vienna), Wencke Hertzsch (Democracy Capital), and Christoph Stoik (Austrian Sociological Association).

Public walks and talks invite everyone to participate

In addition to traditional formats such as panels, in which scientific contributions are discussed, the conference offers public talks and guided walks with experts from science, administration, and business. Two participatory workshops will explore the topics of “Regenerative Tourism” (with Karoline Wiegerink and Yasemin Oruc, Hotelschool The Hague) and “Care Work in Cities” (with Michaela Moser, Verein Sorgenetz). The panels will address the following topics, among others:

  • Urban Experimentation: „Careful“ Urban Transformations beyond Ecomodernist Imaginaries
  • Caring for the Citizens – Social Justice and Participation
  • How Tourism is Transforming the Urban Fabric
  • Touristification and Challenges of Urban Tourism
  • Entangled Placemaking in Tourism and Urban Development
  • Tourism & Urban Futures: Innovative Pathways

The international and interdisciplinary nature of the conference is underscored by its cooperation with the University of Vienna, TU Vienna, Universitá Iuav di Venezia (Italy), and Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Portugal). The international experts inviting participants to panels and discussions include Alexandra Paio, Giovanna Marconi, Laura Fregolent, Roos Gerritsma, and Ethan Kent.

The conference will conclude on September 26 with a public talk. A keynote speech by placemaking expert Ethan Kent from New York will be followed by a round table discussion with Ethan Kent, Cornelia Dlabaja, Norbert Kettner, Roos Gerritsma (Hogeschool Inholland), Laura Fregolent (IUAV, Venice), and a member of the administration of Vienna’s first district.

Register now and help shape livable cities

The “Caring for the City” conference offers an opportunity to network with international experts, gain new insights into sustainable urban and tourism development, and actively participate in shaping livable cities.

Further information and registration details are available on FHWien der WKW‘s website:

Information and registration

Photo:

“Vienna is an example of best practice for a sustainable travel destination in international comparison,” explains Cornelia Dlabaja from FHWien der WKW at the announcement of the conference “Caring for the City”, which will take place in Vienna at the end of September 2025.
Download photo
Copyright: Luiza Puiu

FHWien der WKW – University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication

FHWien der WKW is Austria’s leading university of applied sciences for management and communication. Its Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs offer around 2,900 students a practical academic education. Two-thirds of the lecturers come directly from the business world. The close cooperation with local companies in teaching and research prepares students optimally for their careers. Since its foundation in 1994, FHWien der WKW has already produced more than 15,900 graduates.

Contact:

Bernhard Witzeling
Head of Corporate Communication, Marketing and Alumni & Career Services, Press Officer
Tel.: +43 (1) 476 77-5733
presse@fh-wien.ac.at
www.fh-wien.ac.at