Florian Kaefer Consulting
Chur, Switzerland
You’d like us to introduce you to Florian, to see how he can help your business or destination thrive through sustainability?
As consultant and facilitator, Florian focuses on innovation for sustainability as well as sustainability leadership: capacity building, organizational change, product diversification in emerging and developed destinations, branding and marketing.
Over the last 8 years Florian has interviewed over 260 sustainability changemakers, representing destinations, associations, NGOs, small and medium-sized businesses, international development agencies, local and national governments, leading advisors and academics. As a consultant and coach he will synthesize the insights gained to help you thrive through sustainability.
Florian is the author of Sustainability Leadership in Tourism: Interviews, Insights, and Knowledge from Practice (Springer 2022).
He also founded and leads The Place Brand Observer, a knowledge hub focused on strengthening the attractiveness, identity and reputation of destinations and business locations.
Consultant characteristics:
- #outsidethebox
- #strategicthinker
- #storytellingpro
- #knowledgebroker
- #emphatic
Florian focuses on:
- Innovation for sustainability coaching
- Sustainability leadership coaching
- Storytelling & Communication
- Strategy advice, e.g. on linking sustainability leadership with destination branding
About Florian Kaefer
As the co-founder of Sustainability Leaders United, Florian has spent the last 12 years learning about the fascinating world of tourism and sustainability, mostly by interviewing and connecting with over 250 leading professionals worldwide (and counting). It’s their insights, stories, achievements – and also failures – which interest Florian the most, and which he shares via Sustainability Leaders United as knowledge platform on sustainable tourism leadership.
Benefit from Florian’s expertise in the topic by having him contribute to your strategy development.
Florian holds a PhD in Management Communication (Waikato Management School, New Zealand), a masters degree in sustainable development (Exeter University, UK) and a bachelor in tourism management (Brighton University, UK).
Florian is also the founder and editor of The Place Brand Observer. He speaks German (native), English and Spanish, with a good understanding of Catalan and French.
How do you contribute to tourism sustainability?
By sharing knowledge – across disciplines and industries, as well as geographies, through Sustainability Leaders United and as a coach and strategy advisor.
I recently wrote the book Sustainability Leadership in Tourism: Interviews, Insights, and Knowledge from Practice (Springer, 2022) in which I summarize industry insights on the topic and offer portraits of over 100 leading sustainable tourism champions and influencers.
The book is packed with inspiring stories and success strategies, which I also like to share as a speaker.
Your advice on how to become more sustainable?
- Make sure you have a good understanding of what sustainability means applied to your local context, and set your priorities accordingly.
- Look around for solutions and copy success strategies – no need to reinvent the wheel!
- Know about mega trends likely to affect your business or destination, and what kind of innovation you need to thrive.
- Accept failures as lessons and don’t be afraid to take risks.
- Make sure you are financially sustainable – without it you will not be able to support social or environmental sustainability.
- Make sustainability about quality, experiences, stories – make it cool for visitors to engage with.
