Tourism-related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are a central driver of anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on tourism, varying from damages of tourist assets due to extreme weather events, to losses of biodiversity. Small island developing states (SIDS) heavily depend on international tourism as a source of revenue and income. Therefore, much could be gained by assessing the vulnerability of the SIDS tourism sector and by identifying measures that may assist these islands in their sustainable adaptation efforts. Against this background, this interdisciplinary paper provides a review of tourism development and the implications of its emissions on the global climate, linked with observed and projected influences of climate change in the Pacific region, to explain the growing vulnerability of the overall sector, with a particular focus on SIDS tourism. A description of the effects of COVID-19 on international tourism and its consequences for SIDS complement the analysis. Case studies of two Pacific islands present some evidence of current climate impacts, underscoring the multiple risks small island nations and their tourism sectors face. The paper concludes by stating that some measures may be prioritized by decision-makers, so as to increase the resilience of a transforming tourism sector in SIDS.

So far, only a minor proportion of businesses – across all economic sectors – has a business model designed to meet the complex requirements of the UN 2030 Agenda. The transformation to a more sustainable economy for the benefit of people and the planet, let alone honouring the principles of Humanistic Management, remains a Herculean task. This article presents family-run companies from the hospitality and tourism industry that have succeeded in aligning their corporate structures, products, and operations with Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, building the bridge to –and, in part, explicitly integrating –principles of Humanistic Management. A systemic approach serves as the conceptual-theoretical framework, providing a valuable basis for better understanding the role of individual companies in the complex overall system of the 2030 Agenda. Based on three case studies, presenting findings from expert interviews with selected managing directors or owners of family businesses, it becomes clear that this type of business is particularly well suited to successfully manage the multi-layered challenges of a transformation due to its inherent characteristics.

Zusammenfassung: Diversität respektive Diversity Management entwickelt sich angesichts bestimmter sozio-kultureller und ökonomischer Metaprozesse – insbesondere demographischer Wandel, Globalisierung sowie Individualisierung und Pluralisierung der Lebensstile – zu einem immer wichtigeren strategischen Erfolgsfaktor für Unternehmen. Nichtsdestotrotz steckt die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit der entsprechenden Thematik im Tourismus- und Hospitalitysektor nach wie vor in den Anfängen. Im Rahmen einer qualitativ ausgerichteten Fallstudie anhand eines weltweit führenden Aviation-Konzerns – der Lufthansa Group – setzt sich der vorliegende Beitrag im Spannungsfeld von Tourismuswissenschaft und Diversitätsforschung mit den Konzepten Diversität und Diversity Management auseinander. In diesem Kontext lässt sich die explorative Studie in erster Linie von der Forschungsfrage leiten, wie eine zentrale stakeholder-Gruppe – Flugbegleiter – die auf dem Prinzip „Wertschöpfung durch Wertschätzung“ basierende Diversity-Strategie des Aviation-Konzerns wahrnimmt. Die mittels problemzentrierter Interviews generierten empirischen Ergebnisse erschließen einerseits vor dem Hintergrund divergierender konzeptioneller Verständnisansätze von Diversity Management das nach wie vor unterschätzte Potential dieses Managementkonzepts, andererseits sensibilisieren sie für potentielle Herausforderungen und Konflikte, die sich im Kontext personaler Heterogenität ergeben können.