Expertise in tourism in Italy: trend and outlook

This article describes the general overview of the employment needs of Italian tourism companies, by analysing the data of the Excelsior Information System1 and that relative to the surveys carried out by the Osservatorio sull’Economia del Turismo delle Camere di Commercio (Observatory on the Economics of Tourism of the Chamber of Commerce). The Unioncamere – ANPAL, Excelsior Information System- ranks among the major sources available in Italy on job market issues. Since 2010, it has also been providing forecasts on medium-term employment needs (five-year horizon), through a multisectoral econometric model and with an approach similar to that followed at European level by CEDEFOP. The forecasts currently refer to the 2022-2026 period and are detailed by economic sector, type of employment, professions, levels of education and main fields of study.

The forecast is in line with the NTGA – Next Tourism Generation Alliance project, with an objective to establish a strategic plan for developing sectoral skills in tourism to respond to gaps in skills, particularly on the green, social and digital issues. The last Excelsior report on “Forecast for employment and professional needs in Italy in the medium term (2022- 2026)” estimates a growth in the number of people employed in Italy, as an effect of the post-pandemic economic expansion, between 1.3 and 1.7 million in general and between 242 thousand and 355 thousand in the Commerce and Tourism sector.

 

Digital skills

Among the data, jobs that are most in-demand related to digital skills are software designers and developers, computer programmer analysts and technicians, as well as business analysts, cloud computing specialists, big data specialists, data scientists, and robotics specialists. For what concerns the so-called “green jobs”, on the other hand, the skills most in demand are linked to the new professional profiles such as sustainable architects, installers of low environmental impact air conditioning systems in buildings, environmental lawyers, energy managers, and environmental marketing experts. The latest survey targeting Italian hospitality businesses in June 2022, within the scope of the Osservatorio sull’Economia del Turismo delle Camere di Commercio, confirms the findings of the Excelsior report with regard to the interest in digital skills. In fact, in order to work in tourism today, the following skills are particularly recommended: the ability to interact through digital technologies (59%), knowledge of how to develop and use software for the development of destinations and products (46%) and having the ability to perform practical data analysis (27%).

 

Social skills

On the social and cultural skills side, it is estimated that, between 2022 and 2026, there will be a high level of need for educational and research specialists (teachers, researchers, educational project experts), but also for reception and customer information staff in the tourism sector, capable of increasing customer care on a qualitative and quantitative level. Lastly, among the social and cultural skills it is increasingly necessary to know how to interact in order to enhance the value of local communities (57.3%), have corporate ethical responsibility (38.1%) and knowledge about accessible tourism (30%).

 

Green Skills

Green skills in the hospitality businesses that cannot be overlooked include the knowledge and ability to minimise the use of resources and maximise energy efficiency (65.2%), knowledge of waste management and recycling procedures (40.2%), and knowing how to avoid food waste (29%).

 

About the author:

Unioncamere – Unione Italiana delle Camere di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato e Agricoltura (Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Artisan production and Agriculture) – is the institution governed by public law that represents the Italian chamber of the commerce system. It was founded in 1901 and promotes and manages services and activities of interest to the Chambers of commerce and economic categories, coordinating the System’s initiatives through directives and guidelines. For the performance of functions and tasks entrusted by law to the Chambers of commerce, Unioncamere stipulates programme agreements, understandings, and conventions with the State central administrations, with national or local public institutions, promoting and supporting the connection between the chamber of commerce system and business, consumer and workers’ organisations.

At European level, it ensures the internal representation of the Italian Chambers of commerce at Eurochambres, the association that brings together the European chamber of commerce systems. Unioncamere, along with its associations ISNART (Istituto Nazionale Ricerche Turistiche – National Institution of Tourism Research) and DINTEC (Consorzio per l’Innovazione Tecnologica – Consortium for Technological Innovation) is an NTGA partner.