Kirsi Hyvaerinen

Managing Director at HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting d.o.o.

Kirsi Hyvaerinen has worked at the intersection of destinations, associations, NGOs, small and medium-sized businesses, international development agencies, local and national governments since the mid-90s. Since 2013, she runs her own company; as consultant and facilitator, she focuses on sustainable tourism, capacity building, organizational change, service diversification in emerging destinations, branding and marketing of new, community- and nature-based tourism products. Kirsi is the co-founder and partner of ITB Advisory, co-founder and -leader of the Travel Massive Montenegro chapter and co-founder and partner of the BALKAN GREEN initiative. 

Since 2018, she has served in the Management Board of the Global Ecotourism Network and helped to develop the European Ecotourism Network; Kirsi represents Green Destinations in Montenegro, working as coach and auditor in the Balkans. 

In education and research, she is a regular guest lecturer at European universities. She says that working with the next generation especially – students, young professionals – is giving her loads of hope and good vibes. She tries to give back the same!

Under her project management since 2003, the VDR Business Travel Report Germany delivers representative research with facts, figures and trends.

Being of Finnish origin, Kirsi loves nature and its protection is close to her heart. She holds a degree in Business Administration (Tourism Management and Marketing) from Heilbronn University, Germany.