Hospitality Employees in Rural European areas develop hybrid skills & Promote Ecotourism

The hospitality industry is a major revenue source for Europe, employing over 8 million EU citizens. However, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a sharp 61% decline in EU tourism, severely impacting the hospitality sector, especially rural accommodation units already struggling with staff and training issues. HERE4you applied for a project aimed at revitalising rural European tourism and upskilling hospitality staff. The project focused on teaching essential skills to enhance guest satisfaction and offer unique experiences, particularly through ecotourism, which has gained popularity due to increased environmental awareness. The project also aimed to address the lack of standardised training across Europe, which became more critical due to staff shortages from the pandemic. Key goals included improving English language and service skills to enhance communication and promote international staff mobility. Digital competence was another major focus, given the importance of online bookings and digital engagement with guests. Additionally, the project sought to equip hospitality professionals with the knowledge to promote ecotourism, supporting sustainability and local economies.

HERE4you wanted to develop a complete, web-based training course for hospitality professionals focusing on boosting their English language and service skills, their digital competence and their environmental awareness along with creating an Interactive, role-playing game environment aimed at knowledge retention and an interactive mapping tool demonstrating Accommodation units and ecotourism possibilities in rural European areas accompanied by an eco-guide with instructions on how to use this tool to make the most out of it. Accommodation unit owners and employees would have access to a free, innovative, easily accessible upskilling methodology no matter their geographical location or Socioeconomic education. Moreover, VET educators would possess a strong, digital training tool for providing students within the hospitality sector with hands-on, simulation-based training. HERE4you’s main objective was to promote the upskilling of hospitality employees working in rural European areas by offering a training approach that entailed the introduction of hybrid skills, retention through simulation, and the development of a new interactive tool with instructions on how to use it.