Digital Transformation in Tourism

Digital transformation brings a number of disruptive changes. This is true not only on how we do things, but also and maybe most importantly, on how we (need to) rethink our processes and more generally our business models. Digital tools have a strong impact on education, on how our trainers may improve teaching strategies, on how learners can, for instance, become more aware about their learning styles and improve their learning strategies. Digital tools and artificial intelligence is already in use to improve management, performance and efficiency of VET institutions as well as help out with labour market intelligence. Vision and digital skills are key. How did the project Digital Tourism transform?

What are the main challenges the Digital Tourism project intends to solve?
Lack of Digitalisation in the Tourism sector; The gap between Tourism sector organisations and schools’ Tourism qualifications offers; Lack of European common qualifications.

What are the main outcomes your project will or have developed?
Digital Tourism European Organisations Needs Analysis Report; Digital Tourism Technician course technological
training content & its Job Profile; Work Based Learning Skills Assessment Protocol Requirements.

What are the main cooperation opportunities you wish to share with EfVET members?
Cooperation with other Tourism VET providers in new projects with a similar topic; Cooperation with mobility providers in this area.

What are the main interconnections with EfVET Thematic Teams, if any?
Mobility; Digitalisation in Tourism.

Would you like to provide any additional update or share a success obtained within the project? The project promoted an online dissemination event on February 4 2021, “Digital Tourism: current and future skills”, where participants from all over Europe followed two of project’s most relevant results being explained by two partners – the Digital Tourism VET course detailed technologic content, and its Work Based Learning students’ selection and assessment requirements.The event also had a presentation of a Digital Tourism student based Portuguese best practices and two external keynote speakers, one from a member of EU DG-EMPL (Unit for VET, Apprenticeship & Adult Learning), who briefed “The New Skills Agenda and the Osnabrück Declaration” and another from a travel agency Business Development Manager, who gave a “hands-on” approach about “Digital Promotion in the Hospitality Industry”. The feedback from the participants was very positive. Following that event, the consortium is now preparing
the “Tourism Talks”, a set of short informal online discussions about Tourism related topics, with experts coming from Hospitality companies. Like the previous, these online meetings will be streamlined by project’s Facebook “Digital Tourism Qualification Forum” and its documentation will be placed on the project’s website.
(Note: The above interview with sergio Fernandes, coordinator Digital Tourism, is taken from the EFVET magazine)