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To App or not to App

Using mobile applications in destination marketing for small cities and remote destinations

There are thousands of tourist destinations around the world, from small tourist attractions to entire countries, from capitals to remote villages. Arguably, the most important quality of any tourist destination and all of its stakeholders is whether it is successful or not i.e., whether it accumulates more economic benefits than economic costs (Robinson, et.al, 2013). It is a fact that successful destinations are not only marketed in a modern, innovative and creative way, but also managed in the same manner (Morrison, 2013). Nowadays, efficient destination management and marketing requires more diverse skills in order to address the high competition and stand out from the rest. The proper usage and integration of modern technologies are one of the most important tools in this process. Therefore, the development of digital skills becomes crucial for successful destination management organisations (DMOs).READ MORE

Is the tourism industry ready for AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting almost every sector, and tourism is no different. But is the industry ready for it? Last year’s NTG Research found that the sector is already facing a skills gap around AI and data analytics and this gap will only grow as technology continues to develop.

But the term ‘artificial intelligence’ is a very broad one and can mean different things in different contexts. So what will AI mean in practice for the tourism sector? Where will we see it being used, and what does that mean in terms of the types of skills the sector will require? 

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Cybersecurity in Tourism & Hospitality: the urge of protecting customer data

Organizations in tourism and hospitality have massive databases of personal data nowadays as they ask their consumers to leave their data for better and optimized services. This could be in hotels for example, provide data for loyalty programmes such as preferences of pillows, favourite breakfast and date of birth. However, important information such as e-mail addresses, passport numbers and even creditcard details are being given in order to complete the reservation. Next to that, new technologies also enable guests to check in more efficiently, for example with a mobile application which holds a lot of personal data in order to be able to have a fast check-in. However, according to HotelNewsNow (2018), hackers are often attacking the hospitality industry on the search for secured data. Therefore, managers in tourism and hospitality, but also all other employees in the different departments in the sub-sectors should be aware of the high risks those hacks bring along.

This blog, written by key partner CEHAT, focuses on the importance of cyber security and what skills should be taught to all workers in tourism and hospitality in order to ensure the protection of all the valuable personal data of their guests. In this line, CEHAT collaborates with ITH as the technological arm for the dissemination of this information through international events such as Fiturtech Y, technical conferences throughout Spain and communication through ITH’s newsletter.

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10 key characteristics of Gen Z to keep in mind in travel

Generation Z represents a new generation of youngsters with specific characteristics due to the period of time in which they were born. They offer new opportunities for the tourism sector, mainly from the digital skills point of view, but also because this generation is highly committed to social and green issues. So how does this generation influence different sub-sectors in our industry? Key NTG partner, the University of Alicante, highlights the key characteristics of Gen Z and shares some interesting facts.READ MORE

Interview with Sophie van den Top – sustainability among Tour Operators and Travel Agents

The Next Tourism Generation Alliance interviewed Sophie van den Top, who graduated by writing her thesis on the possibilities to minimalizing the negative impacts caused by the different kind of excursions a tour operator can offer for FOX Travel. Her research is awarded with the TUI-CELTH Sustainable Tourism Award on Friday 8 november 2019. This award is granted each year to students with the best thesis on sustainable tourism in the Netherlands. Sophie from Saxion University developed criteria on how to improve the sustainability of excursions at tourism destinations. In this blog, she will highlight some of the most important outcomes of her research.

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Student talk: the importance of sustainability in travel for millennials

The Next Tourism Generation Alliance got in touch with Melissa Tolman, a postgraduate Dutch student, as she has recently researched travel behaviour and sustainability issues among millennials. Melissa, the graduate of the master of International Leisure, Tourism and Events Management of NHL Stenden, won the second prize of the TUI-CELTH Sustainable Tourism Award on Friday 8 November 2019. We interviewed her to gain insights into this important topic.READ MORE

Tourism manager about education: “Strikingly more men”

Analyses of the future TOP competences in tourism clearly show that “gender equality skills” are crucial for the future. Accordingly, corresponding competence gaps must be remedied by raising awareness within companies at various management levels. Still, it seems women need to bring the extra skill to be rated as competent as men when applying for a job.

As far as the development of future key competences not only for women is concerned, NTG gives a good overview on the main digital, green and social skills. Most important to improve women’s role in tourism is to make sure they have the same access to key competencies. This would be e.g. digital skills such as evaluating and managing big data as well as know how to communicate and collaborate through digital technologies on a management level. In addition, social skills such as problem solving, communication skills as well as the ability to create a positive work environment are important management skills for both men and women. However, to pass gender inequality, women need to get access and then promote these competencies even stronger in the future.READ MORE