Institute for Tourism and Leisure (ITF)

Institute at a glance

The Institute of Tourism and Leisure (ITF) is the tourism department of the UAS Grisons. We are an important Swiss education, training and research institution for tourism and the leisure industry at university level - with a national and international reputation.

Institute Report 2025

Head of institute/centre
Knaus Dominik More about Knaus Dominik
Research fields
Digital Transformation in Tourism
Tourism and Leisure Infrastructure
Tourism Living Environments More about the research fields

Events

Current events at the Institute for Tourism and Leisure:

Tuesday, October 20, 2026: 18th Tourism Trend Forum (only in German)

Competencies

We contribute to the further development of tourism through applied research and practical development projects. In particular, we actively support the revitalization process of Swiss and Graubünden tourism. To this end, the research fields "Digital transformation in tourism", "Tourism and leisure infrastructures" and "Tourist living spaces" are being worked on. Our partners and clients are destinations, service providers, associations, politics and administration, with whom we develop solutions to entrepreneurial, social and political issues in the areas of tourism and leisure.

With series of events such as the Tourism Trend Forum (TTF) or the Barcamp, practical student projects and publications, the institute promotes the exchange of knowledge and experience between science, business and politics.

Competencies

Based on our fields of research, we offer practical services for regions, municipalities and tourism stakeholders. Our focus is on service design, second home issues and the perception and acceptance of tourism and tourist habitats.

Organizations can use service design to improve existing services or develop entirely new value propositions. Service design has its roots in design thinking and adopts the central focus on customer needs.

The Institute for Tourism and Leisure, a partner organization of the Office for Economy and Tourism (AWT) of the Canton of Graubünden, pursues the topic of "second homes" as a key theme. It develops basic principles and assistance for tourism service providers, municipalities and political bodies.

360° tourism views tourism as part of a holistic living environment. The approach combines perspectives from the population, economy and guests in order to comprehensively understand and sustainably shape tourism developments in the Alpine region.

Population surveys show how tourism is perceived by the local population and which factors influence acceptance. They create a sound basis for recognizing developments in the Alpine region at an early stage and classifying them in a targeted manner.

Targeted community building strengthens the bond between locals, second home residents, guests, employees and employers with a destination. This creates vibrant, resilient mountain regions that can be revitalized and sustainably developed all year round.

Degree programmes

Our Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Tourism and our CAS Event Management continuing education program are leading in terms of content and didactics and optimally prepare students - both professionally and personally - for a career in tourism, the leisure industry and other service sectors.

In 2020, the Bachelor's degree in Tourism and the Master's degree in Tourism and Change were awarded the UN Tourism TedQual certification by the World Tourism Organization UN Tourism.

Im Tourismus Studium treffen sich Studierende für eine Gruppenarbeit.

Bachelor's degree Tourism

The Bachelor's degree program in Tourism prepares you ideally for leading positions in the tourism and service sector. Benefit from an international, practice-oriented business degree with modern methods and future-oriented content in tourism management.

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Two master students in Tourism and Change are smiling

Master's degree Tourism and Change

The Master's degree program in Tourism and Change provides you with a comprehensive understanding of tourism from a strategic perspective and prepares you for a management role in the international tourism and service industry. The course is taught in English.

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Further education

CAS Event Management

Do further study in Event Management! In the CAS, you will deal with sporting, cultural and corporate events. You will acquire expert knowledge in the fields of Sponsoring, Event law, Budgeting as well as Project Management.

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Research and consulting

In application-oriented research and development, we address current entrepreneurial and social developments, work on practical problems within the scope of our research and competence fields and thus generate knowledge. We ensure the transfer of knowledge into practice through publications, case studies, lectures, meetings, conferences and other suitable methods. We also provide consulting for third parties in our fields of research and expertise, whether for private organizations or for the public sector, for example in the form of data collection, analyses, expert opinions (without evaluations), consulting or management mandates.

Forms of cooperation

There are various forms of cooperation, be it research projects, services or student projects. Get in touch with us - we will be happy to support you with your projects.

Publications

The Institute of Tourism and Leisure (ITF) is present in the media, gives presentations and publishes papers. Browse through our publications database!