Skills in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Tourism: The current landscape and future priorities in Portugal
What does it really take to build a tourism workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute? PANTOUR’s latest research from Portugal offers a data-driven answer and a roadmap for the sector. Skills related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (EDI) have become increasingly relevant in the tourism and hospitality sectors in Portugal. As workplaces evolve, organisations recognise that equitable and inclusive environments not only enhance employee well-being but also strengthen service quality and industry competitiveness.
The research conducted under the PANTOUR project provides valuable insights into existing training gaps, workforce needs, and organisational perceptions regarding EDI. Based on survey results, interviews with training professionals, and documented best practices, this fact-based analysis explores the state of EDI skills in Portugal and highlights opportunities for future development. Alongside EDI, PANTOUR also explores the broader social skills needed across the tourism and hospitality sectors, because inclusive workplaces and skilled professionals go hand in hand.
What the research tells us
The PANTOUR research draws on a rich evidence base from Portugal: 528 survey responses, five in-depth interviews with training professionals, and three documented best practices. Together, they paint a detailed picture of how workers and educators perceive EDI in their professional contexts. The respondents represent a broad mix of age groups and professional levels, spanning key sub-sectors including accommodation, food and beverage, attractions, destination management, and tour operations.
Current training practices: gaps and opportunities
Company-provided training in Portugal currently focuses most heavily on Conflict Management (56%), followed by Diversity and Inclusion (27%), Accessibility and Disability Awareness (26%), and Harassment and Intimidation Prevention (7%). However, more specialised EDI areas remain significantly underdeveloped. Topics such as Neurodiversity Awareness (6%) and DEI in Recruitment (9%) are rarely addressed — signalling a clear need for broader and more targeted learning opportunities across the sector.
What workers actually want to learn
The survey reveals a striking alignment between worker interests and broader EDI goals. Tourism and hospitality workers are most eager to develop skills in:
- Mental Health Awareness (55%)
- Conflict Management (49%)
- Culture of Dignity and Respect (44%)
These preferences reflect a growing recognition that psychological well-being and respectful workplace culture are not soft extras — they are essential foundations for equitable and thriving organisations.
Organisational culture: progress and room to grow
Respondents rated their organisational culture positively across several EDI dimensions:
- Feeling included in most team decisions: 4.01/5
- Organisations value diversity: 3.97/5
- Managers seen as inclusive and fair: 3.9/5
- Organisations actively promote people from diverse backgrounds: 3.8/5
While these scores point to a genuinely positive foundation, the slightly lower rating on active promotion of diverse talent highlights where inclusivity efforts can be deepened and expanded.
The role of educators: a key lever for change
Interviews with training professionals underline the pivotal role of vocational schools and higher education institutions as agents of change in combating inequality. Educators emphasise the need to embed accessibility, inclusive communication, inclusive tourism, and citizenship education into curricula from the ground up. At the same time, they identify real barriers: a lack of prioritisation of EDI topics in courses, insufficient industry awareness, and the challenge of aligning training with the actual lived experiences of workers rather than customer-facing scenarios alone. Strengthening educator training on EDI and embedding inclusive principles across all educational pathways emerges as a key recommendation.
Inspiring Examples from the Field
Three Portuguese organisations have been recognised as PANTOUR Best Practices for their commitment to EDI in the workplace, demonstrating what is possible when inclusion becomes a strategic priority:
InterContinental Lisbon
Setting inclusion standards in luxury hospitality.
Portugália Restauração
A group-wide approach to EDI in food & beverage.
Associação Pão a Pão
Community-based inclusion in practice.
These cases reinforce the value of structured initiatives that embrace diversity and create concrete pathways toward more equitable and inclusive organisational cultures. They show that EDI is not just a values statement, it is a practice.
Looking ahead: Making EDI a priority
The findings highlight both progress and persistent gaps in developing EDI-related skills within Portugal’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Organisations have made a real start: particularly in conflict management and diversity training, but workers are asking for more: deeper, more comprehensive training in mental health, dignity, respect, and inclusive practices. Education and training providers have a decisive role to play in preparing future professionals, by embedding EDI principles into curricula, not as add-ons, but as core competencies. Investing in instructor capacity on EDI is equally essential.
The insights from PANTOUR are clear: sustained, systemic commitment to EDI creates fairer workplaces, better professionals, and a more sustainable tourism sector for Portugal and for Europe.
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