Monika Echtermeyer began her career as a flight attendant for Lufthansa German Airlines (1982 - 1987), before attending the University of Trier. She obtained a diploma in Geography, majoring in Tourism (1987 - 1992), and during her studies worked for the Puerto Rico Tourism Board and for Lufthansa German Airlines as a freelance marketing employee (1988 - 1990).

In 1991 she took advantage of an exchange programme to work in the marketing department of Aérolíneas Argentinas in Córdoba/Argentina. In 1993 she gained a scholarship from the Ministry of Education and Science of the state of Rheinland Pfalz/Germany to work on a doctorate in "Global Computer Reservation Systems and new Information Technologies in airline business and tourism - with specific focus on the Latin American and Caribbean travel market” which she completed in early 1997.

In the following years (1997 - 1999) she worked as a freelance tourism consultant for Lufthansa Consulting GmbH (Airline Business Consulting) and Steigenberger Consulting GmbH (Hospitality Business Consulting). In addition, she was employed by Lufthansa Flight Training GmbH as a trainer for Intercultural Communication.

In 1998 she accepted a position as a lecturer at a private University for Business Administration in Paderborn/Germany (FHDW). In 2000 she became Professor of Tourism Management at the Fachhochschule der Wirtschaft in Bergisch Gladbach/Germany, where she was responsible for the newly established discipline "Tourism Business". Since 2003 she works as a Professor in the Tourism Management Department at the International University of Applied Sciences and at other Universities like the DHBW Ravensburg as a lecturer, with special research focus on tourism marketing, the growing Chinese outbound market, destination management and marketing as well as intercultural communication and crisis management. Besides teaching she set up an E-Bike network of sustainable mobility in Bavaria and an online learning platform (EPro-Training and www.crisismanagementcourses.com) together with international partners.