Funding tool: Applied research projects
Project-ID: FTI25-A-014
Project start: 01. Dezember 2026
Project end: 30. November 2029
Runtime: 36 months / not yet started
Funding amount: € 283.694,00

Brief summary:
The uncertain future of the Lackenhof ski resort marks a structural turning point for the Mostviertel region in Lower Austria. ROOTED (Regenerative and Transformative Opportunities in Tourism Development) addresses this challenge by developing innovative, regenerative tourism products that reposition the destination beyond winter tourism and aim to transform the tourism industry. In cooperation with Naturpark Ötscher-Tormäuer, the Climate Research Centre Ötscher, and Mostviertel Tourism the project integrates climate research, regional knowledge, and community engagement into new, innovative tourism offerings. While sustainability approaches are well established, transformative and regenerative approaches remain underdeveloped in practice. ROOTED moves beyond sustainability as a baseline by embedding regenerative principles into product development and Mostviertel’s sustainability certification process. Through action research and living labs, new, innovative and regenerative tourism products are co-created with local stakeholders, businesses, and visitors, ensuring market relevance and measurable regional value creation. The project addresses key research gaps by operationalizing regenerative tourism at the regional level and by developing innovative climate-based experiences not yet available in Austria or abroad. By systematically documenting impacts and processes, ROOTED generates transferable knowledge for destination managers and policymakers and provides a scalable blueprint for alpine regions facing structural and climate-related transformation.

Keywords:
Tourismus, Klimawandel, Transformationsprozesse, regenerativer Tourismus, Resilienz