Mission statement

Arbeitskreis Tourismusforschung (AKTF)

The Working Group on Tourism Research (AKTF) of the German Association of Geographers (DGfG) is a multi-disciplinary union of University Professors, Lectures, PhD Students, Students and best-practice tourism industry representatives.
The working group engages in theoretical and applied academic research within the Tourism sector and various space-time contexts.

Our goals

The working group promotes research in Tourism on an interdisciplinary, spacial and societal scale.

The working group strives to achieve plurality in research perspectives of tourism-related questions and to reflect upon these in a creative exchange of ideas.  Primary goal is the examination of theoretical and methodological approaches, which are being developed in dialogue and close cooperation of science and best-practice.

Furthermore, the working group aims at strengthening academic as well as applied research within research and teaching institutions whilst also helping it gain social importance both on a national and international level.

The Working Group on Tourism Research (AKTF)

  • promotes theoretical and transfer-oriented research in Tourism
  • promotes a broad spectrum of research methodologies, focusing on social sciences and space-time cohesion
  • contributes to increased networking between universities and applied science Institutions in the field of multidisciplinary tourism research
  • supports international cooperation projects and collaboration of researchers around the globe
  • is committed to the support and promotion of young tourism science academics (e.g. via PhD colloquia and intensive networking)
  • organizes annual conferences on cutting-edge themes in tourism research
  • publishes its own monograph and is involved in the publication of the sole German speaking journal on Tourism Science, and
  • promotes the practical implementation of tourism specific research.
Arbeitskreis Tourismusforschung