Cornelia Dlabaja, Endowed Chair for Sustainable Urban and Tourism Development at FHWien der WKW, has been featured in various media on a range of topics in recent weeks. Her expertise has been in demand in numerous interviews and discussions dealing with current challenges in the areas of urban development, tourism and social change.
Ten steps into the future
Right at the beginning of the year, Dlabaja was interviewed by Der Standard on January 4 about the City of Vienna’s STEP 2035 urban development plan. She was one of ten experts who were interviewed about their expectations and wishes regarding this concept. Under the heading “Social”, she spoke of the importance of institutional spaces as multifunctional hubs for social cohesion. Another important topic she mentioned was the climate-resilient redesign of public spaces as living rooms for everyone.
Urban Tourism
In this detailed article in Profil, the tourism expert talks about booming city tourism and its challenges. She cites Vienna Tourism’s visitor economy strategy as a best-practice example. This strategy is also closely linked to climate-resilient urban and sustainable regional development and is being scientifically supported by Dlabaja as part of her endowed professorship.
A City for Everyone
In an interview with Der Standard, Dlabaja discusses how Vienna could develop into a generation-friendly city. The researcher analyzes how cities can function for different age groups. She emphasizes that urban spaces must be designed in such a way that they are suitable for both children and older people and promote social participation. It is particularly important to break down barriers in public spaces and create meeting places that enable intergenerational interaction. She also advocates greater involvement of citizens in urban planning to better take their needs into account. She mentions Seestadt and Yppenplatz, which she researched, as positive examples.
Focus on Sustainable Tourism
Cornelia Dlabaja was invited as an expert at the Club Seestadt panel discussion “Is tourism beyond us?” on February 27, 2025. The event, which was reported on by the Wiener Bezirksblatt, was dedicated to the question of how tourism can be made sustainable in order to take both economic and ecological aspects into account
Cornelia Dlabaja’s many media appearances underline her role as an expert in sustainable urban and tourism development. Her contributions to current debates on urban planning, tourism and social justice demonstrate the relevance of her research and teaching at FHWien der WKW for the design of sustainable urban spaces. Her scientific findings are incorporated into teaching in a variety of ways, most recently as part of the Erasmus Blendend Intensive Program Caring for the City.