The Next Tourism Generation Alliance (NTG) seeks answers to this question and develops practical solutions to fill the gaps. We are the German partner in this project.

Five tourism sectors are addressed: Accommodation and Food&Beverage, Destinations, and Leisure Attractions as well as Tour Operators.

In a first step, we have identified future training needs in digital, “green”, and social skills in the tourism industry by an online survey and expert interviews. In Germany, almost 300 people have participated in an online survey, and 40 experts shared their experience.

The results of this surveys can be found here.

The analysis of future training needs is a continuous task. In this context the NTG Skills Assessment Methodology was developed: a research-based, structural mechanism for the analysis of rapidly changing skills and skills needs in order to develop strategies for addressing skills gaps in the EU tourism sector. The Skills Assessment Methodology will support the tourism industry, education and training providers as well as government bodies to continuously and longitudinally identify, assess, and monitor skills needs in order to make strategic choices to eradicate skills gaps for a future-proof tourism industry in the EU.

The NTG Skills Assessment Methodology can be found here.

In collaboration with our project partners, we are currently developing practical solutions to improve the conditions for tourism education. This includes e.g. developing a competence matrix as a monitoring tool as well as piloting innovative methods for new training modules.

In the long term, the aim is to develop a transnational and cross-sector training strategy. This is adjusted to the needs of tourism for the qualification and sustainable assurance of skilled employees.

The Next Tourism Generation Alliance (NTG) is the first European alliance on “professional training in tourism”. The aim is a more intensive exchange between the tourism industry and science. The joint project consists of 14 partners from eight EU countries (Italy, UK, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland). Federturismo Confindustria, the Italian umbrella organization of the tourism industry, coordinates the NTG.

Detailed information about the project and the individual work steps can be found here: https://nexttourismgeneration.eu/

The European Social Fund (ESF) finances the project.