BEST Institute for vocational training and personal training GmbH

Back to Nature

Training of Trainers on Rural Tourism

Background

Tourism is an important driver for economies in Europe. In 2007, more than 9 million people were employed in EU hotels, restaurants and the catering sector, which represents 4.2% of all employed people. Being conscious about the effect of the sector on employment and growth, EU policy makers assign utmost importance to enhancing the potential of tourism. Emphasizing alternative tourism areas is the specific focus of the policies. The analysis conducted by the “European Centre of Development of Vocational Training Skills Supply and Demand in Europe” indicated that the labour demand in the tourism sector will increase 1% during the next ten years and one million additional employees will be needed throughout all EU countries.

A similar trend is also visible in Turkey. Existing skills must be upgraded and new skills developed to meet the new demands in tourism. Vocational trainings offer a vital tool for developing skilled labour in this sector. The project aims to provide tools promoting the new tourism strategies designed by the European Union which also fit the national strategies of Bulgaria, Latvia, Turkey, and Austria.

Aims and target groups

The project aims to contribute to an increase in quality and variety of training on rural tourism and to improve the knowledge and capacities of VET teachers, trainers, tutors with a European perspective, combining the relative strengths brought by each partner country.

In particular, objectives of the project are to promote the growth of rural tourism by:

  • training VET teachers, tutors and trainers on rural tourism to provide a better dissemination and valorisation of project outputs, i.e. training modules in rural tourism
  • training the computer literate entrepreneurs and managers who will invest in tourism business
  • transferring best practices and expertise between partners
  • generating dialogue among trainers from partner countries and
  • creating awareness, especially in rural areas which exhibit potential for highland tourism

Outcomes

The project will produce

  • E-learning modules and new training materials
  • reports on analysis performed
  • CD-ROMs and
  • visual materials connected to the project
EU-Program: LLP, Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation
Coordination: Giresun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TUR)
Contact: Karin Kronika
Duration: November 2012 – October 2014
EU - Partner für lebenslanges Lernen

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.