Transforming tourism through quality education

In a new revelation, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has indicated that with 1.2 billion people worldwide aged between 15 and 24 years, tourism can establish itself as a top employer and driver of youth empowerment. However, according to the Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) around 10% of that demographic are unemployed and 14% hold only basic qualifications.

Education and jobs are vital for the tourism sector in the current times. Only 50% of young workers possess secondary education. The quality and accessibility of tourism education vary greatly across different regions and countries. There is a global need for better infrastructure and resources to provide comprehensive and up-to-date training for the tourism workforce. Additionally, the rapid evolution of technology poses new challenges to keeping tourism education relevant and adaptable.

Education is the cornerstone of sustainable tourism development. Investing in tourism skills and training is more critical now than ever before, empowering individuals and communities, driving innovation, fostering responsible practices, and ultimately contributing to the long-term resilience and success of the sector.

Addressing the existing gaps in tourism education and prioritizing empowerment of young people can create a skilled and resilient workforce that is capable of navigating the challenges and opportunities that are up ahead for the tourism sector. Dexterously managing the challenges will be vital for the success of tourism as well as maximizing the opportunities it provides for the next generation.

There is a global need for better infrastructure and resources to provide comprehensive and up-to-date training for the tourism workforce. Additionally, the rapid evolution of technology poses new challenges to keeping tourism education relevant and adaptable.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has forecast continued growth in international tourist arrivals in the coming years, leading to a surge in employment opportunities in the sector. By 2030, it can possibly provide employment to over 300 million people worldwide. To harness this growth potential, a skilled and knowledgeable workforce is paramount, and requires the sector to address existing gaps in education and training.

The public and private sectors have a mutual interest in resolving these limitations to realize the sector’s potential to make a positive contribution from both an economic and social perspective. Youth plays an important role in this context.

According to WTTC, the tourism sector employs a higher proportion of youth than is represented in the workforce overall at a global level and has an even more important role in some markets. Young people can especially benefit from the projected growth in tourism employment, once access barriers to quality education and training are overcome.

These barriers include a lack of educational resources, limited vocational training options, and insufficient alignment between educational curricula and industry demands. This is in addition to wider factors that are influencing young people’s decisions, including perceptions of the sector as an employer and wider cultural and technological shifts across the world. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensuring youth inclusion and engagement in the tourism sector.

The UNWTO Tourism Education Guidelines provide a comprehensive approach to improving and supporting the tourism sector through education. They emphasize the importance of tourism education pathways and advocate for improved access to address the industry's talent shortage, starting with high school education.

The UNWTO Education Toolkit, which has been developed in collaboration with institutions like Cambridge Assessment International Education, AHLEI, and IBO, promotes the integration of tourism studies into high school curricula. It aims to attract and nurture talent specific to the tourism sector, addressing the industry's skills gap.

UNWTO and Lucerne University have launched a three-year Bachelor of Science degree program in International Sustainable Tourism. This program addresses the need for skilled professionals capable of fostering sustainability in the tourism sector on a global scale.

New data from WTTC and the Sustainable Global Tourism Center shows that youth employment in Travel & Tourism grew by 27.6% between 2010 and 2019. Although it dropped in 2020, it is evidently rebounding. Travel & Tourism accounted for 8.2% in 2019 of youth employment, up from 6.4% in 2010. This highlights the need for high quality jobs to attract young talent as the industry faces staff shortages. Its recovery and future growth depend on addressing this issue and implementing policies to support a skilled workforce. The 2023 WTM Ministers’ Summit will align with the overall world travel market campaign around the ‘Power to Change’, with a focus on sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. The Summit will offer a unique platform for stakeholders to come together, exchange ideas, and forge innovative solutions that will can shape the educational journey in the tourism sector, fostering prosperity and sustainable growth for all.