On the 18th November 2021 the NTG Alliance hosted the online conference ‘Next Tourism Generation: Building a skilled workforce’. This conference was broken into four main modules, upskilling and reskilling in tourism and hospitality, addressing skills needs with innovative collaboration, integrating new skills into industry and education curricula and envisioning a skills partnership in the tourism sector.
Concetta D’Emma, (39 years old, born and living in Italy) is Founder of the Unconventional Hospitality project, and works also as an International Speaker, Author, Challenger & Business Coach, Food & Green Marketing Strategy Expert, and Press & Public Relationships for GWTO (Global Wine Tourism Organization).
After graduating in tourism sciences and -completing a Masters degree in tourism management, she realized that she needed to work – at a deeper level with people, not just to give them “technical” skills. This is the way she has found to improve the hospitality industry and this is why over the years she has also become a Mental Coach.
Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the tourism sector globally. The past year will – long be remembered for the far-reaching consequences of the pandemic and the detrimental affect it has had on individuals, health, lifestyles, organizations and economies to name but a few.
As businesses start to build back from the disruption caused by Covid-19, they will need to ensure their people have the skills needed to support safe reopening and to emerge stronger from the crisis.
The Next Tourism Generation (NTG) competition invited young people from Wales with aspirations to work in tourism to come forward with their ideas for the future of the industry. Those winners were announced by BBC presenter Huw Stephens at the NTG 2021 virtual awards ceremony and skills symposium.
Cardiff Met virtually attended a Museums Association webinar entitled Digital Futures Embracing New Strategies on 29th April 2021. Diana James summarises key insights on how museums in the UK responded to the challenge of the pandemic using digital technology, what they learnt and how the Next Tourism Generation project can help inform new strategies and address skills gaps.
Being enthusiastic in the profession he learned while managing, keeping alive, and planning the overall renovation of the hotel he is directing, all shows the multi-tasking personality of the interviewee. He is smiling and is optimistic, even during the years of Covid-19.
Knowledge of climate change, commitment to resource and environmental protection and appropriate measures to minimize negative impacts are important key skills for the Next Tourism Generation. The transfer of knowledge to the grassroots of the industry must therefore be an important goal.
Over the last 20 years, there have been numerous studies, guides and reports on climate change and on the role of tourism. The topic is not new. Now, however, the discussion is increasingly taking place at – a fundamental level.
In the week of 29th March 2021, local and international students from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Varna University, Bulgaria and City Unity College, Greece, studying for a MSc in Tourism and Hospitality Management, joined a 4-day virtual field study visit to Pembrokeshire in Wales. The Destination Pembrokeshire Partnership (DPP) made up of Pembrokeshire Tourism, Pembrokeshire County Council, PLANED & The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority have worked closely together to launch Pembrokeshire’s new Destination Management Organization ‘Visit Pembrokeshire’ in November 2020. This new Destination Management Organization is the first of its type in Wales bringing together the public, private and third sector to help drive growth and development.
Sometimes, it is very inspiring to look for best practices and case studies from all over the world. How can we support tourism stakeholders that have been impacted by the pandemic and more importantly, what is needed for tourism to become more resilient in the future, taking account of the changes in our climate? The European Commission has shown once again how important skills are for the future of tourism. Now, we must consider what concepts and ideas we can adapt to develop skills further.