eTourism (Scientific Subject 1)

Information & communication technologies become established along the entire value added chain of leisure and tourism industry. Particularly, the tourism-related use of the internet acts as a communication tool which has developed an increasing demand on the part of the provider and consumer. Today, eTourism is being considered as the greatest industrial sector within eCommerce. Based on the issue of tourism and information & communication technologies the degree program "Innovation and Management in Tourism" emphasizes more on the management-orientated aspect rather than the technological part.

The market and trend research plays an important role in terms of a close collaboration between the other two scientific subjects. The touristic market research embodies a complex empiric field of research which describes tourism-related observable concurrencies by implementing qualitative analysis and acquisiton of data (such as movement in demand etc.). The interdisciplinary field of trend research predominantly engages in future-related objectives in tourism industry.

Due to the density of the competitive environment as well as the fast applying customer and market requests the touristic entrepreneur is facing a third challenge: ´Innovation - Factor of Success'. Based on the saying "innovate instead of imitate" the tourism sector is asked to identify innovation potentials and to develop and apply innovation friendly conditions in the business.