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PANTOUR / Articles posted by Lobke Elbers
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March 13, 2026

Tourism Skills in Transition: PANTOUR and Digital Transformation in Hungary

On 26 February 2026, the Hungarian Hospitality Employers’ Association (VIMOSZ) hosted the National Skills Council conference in Budapest within the framework of the PANTOUR project. The event brought together representatives of higher education institutions, vocational training providers, sectoral organisations and tourism enterprises to discuss current challenges and future-oriented solutions in tourism skills development. The conference provided a comprehensive overview of the results of the PANTOUR project, the launch of DigitalTourBoost under DIMOP Plus, and new European-level initiatives shaping the future of tourism education and workforce development.

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March 9, 2026

Recap and downloads PANTOUR Brussels Conference: From Skills Intelligence to action for Europe’s Tourism Workforce

On 24 February 2026, we hosted the final PANTOUR conference at ETOA’s Brussels headquarters, bringing together industry leaders, educators, policy makers and sector associations to reflect on four years of research, innovation and collaboration. The event marked not only the culmination of an EU-funded project, but the presentation of a practical framework to address Europe’s tourism skills needs over the next decade.READ MORE

March 6, 2026

Webinar Tourism & Hospitality Training: Bridging Skills Gaps and Industry Needs | 16 April 2026

Training today is no longer about transferring knowledge. It’s about equipping people who can navigate change, make decisions in uncertainty, and turn sustainability and digitalisation into real action. On 16 April 2026, PANTOUR is organising a full-hour webinar around ”Tourism & Hospitality Training: Bridging Skills Gaps and Industry Needs”. This webinar is not about understanding theory, it is about what you can actually apply tomorrow in your work. Because lifelong learning is no longer just a concept, it is becoming a necessity. The tourism sector does not need more content. It needs better training. Training that sticks, that translates into action, and that prepares people for what’s next.READ MORE

February 27, 2026

From Dilemma to Synergy: The Future of Skills in Greek Tourism & Hospitality

On Friday, February 27th, the iTED Research Lab of the Department of Tourism Economics and Management of the University of the Aegean, within the framework of the 2nd INTOCUS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, organized the National PANTOUR Conference 2026, a pivotal event bringing together representatives from the industry, the government, and the academic community. The main goal of the event was to explore the contemporary challenges and future needs regarding skills in the broader tourism ecosystem, with a special focus on the Greek context. This blog includes key insights and conclusions from the Greek National PANTOUR Conference

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February 27, 2026

PANTOUR Final Conference 2026 functioned as a launchpad on 24 February in Brussels

Four years of skills development. Building upon another four years of research and outputs. Real momentum.

This week in Brussels, at the headquarters of ETOA – European tourism association, we organised the final conference of PANTOUR 2026.

Right in the heart of Europe’s tourism ecosystem, we brought together the sharpest insights, strongest outputs, and most honest reflections from four years of collaboration focused on the future of skills in tourism and hospitality.

This was not a “wrap-up.” It was a launchpad.

Each presentation and speaker brought a different lens. Together they brought a shared European perspective on how we future-proof talent in our sector, supporting the twin-transition. With contributions from:

Ana Maria Camps (CEHAT)
Corné Dijkmans (Breda University of Applied Sciences)
Fernanda Rabelo (TU Dublin)
Klaus Ehrlich (RURALTOUR)
Altti Näsi (SAMK)
Silvia Enea (Federturismo Confindustria)

 

The mix of curiosity and commitment that was experienced during this final conference is exactly what will shape the next chapter of tourism and hospitality in Europe. When people lean in, challenge each other, and build on ideas together, progress follows.

With the energy masterfully steered by our host and moderator Tim Fairhurst, we explored and discussed skills development from every possible angle; managing, monitoring, strategising, assessing, implementing, together with the participants we moved into another connected ambition.

PANTOUR has never just been a project. I has been a collaboration since 2018, built together with: Satakunta University of Applied Sciences – SAMK, Technological University Dublin, CEHAT – Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations, Federturismo Confindustria, Gestlabor, University of the Aegean, ETOA – European tourism association, Hungarian Hospitality Employers’ Association (VIMOSZ), Zangador Research Institute, Breda University of Applied Sciences, European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB), Turismo de Portugal and RURALTOUR, and an extensive network of associate and affiliate partners, industry stakeholders and professionals who believe that skills are the foundation of a resilient, competitive, and forward-looking industry.

The full recap is coming soon.

For now: a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed, questioned, debated, and imagined what is next. The journey may be concluding, but the impact is only beginning. Stay tuned.

Thanks to Arran Wiltshire, Rachel Read, Laurence Lagier for hosting and facilitating us!

February 25, 2026

Finland’s national event: the changing landscape of tourism | Exploring future skills, work and opportunities

On 20 January 2026, tourism professionals, educators, students and industry stakeholders gathered both online and at the SAMK Pori Campus for the seminar The Changing Landscape of Tourism: Operating Environment, Job Roles and Skills. Organised as part of the EU-funded PANTOUR project, the event brought together 109 participants to discuss how the tourism and hospitality sector is evolving and what kinds of skills, attitudes and competencies will be needed in the coming years.

The seminar focused on one central question: what will tourism work look like in the next 5–10 years? Through expert presentations and open discussion, the event highlighted how rapidly changing operating environments, new technologies, sustainability demands and shifting customer expectations are reshaping the industry.

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February 19, 2026

How to work on skills and capacity building from a national perspective: a best practice from Portugal

National and Regional Skills Partnerships (NRSPs) are collaborative platforms designed to bring together the full tourism ecosystem, education providers, industry representatives, public authorities and social partners around a shared mission: aligning skills development with the real and evolving needs of the sector. Emerging from the work of the Next Tourism Generation Alliance and strengthened through the European Commission’s Pact for Skills in tourism, NRSPs have become a practical mechanism to translate European ambition into national and regional action. Through projects such as PANTOUR, they build continuity, reuse proven methodologies, and foster structured cooperation between stakeholders who shape the future of tourism skills.READ MORE