Mapping and performance check of the supply side of tourism education and training Final Report February 2016 Written by the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services February 2016 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Directorate F — Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing Unit F4 — Tourism Emerging and Creative Industries Contact: Donatella Soria E-mail:[email protected] European Commission B-1049 Brussel Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you). LEGAL NOTICE This document has been prepared for the European Commission however it reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://www.europa.eu). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016 CATALOGUE: ET-04-15-123-EN-N ISBN 978-92-79-45826-2 doi: 10.2873/25875 © European Union, 2016 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium PRINTED ON ELEMENTAL CHLORINE-FREE BLEACHED PAPER (ECF) PRINTED ON TOTALLY CHLORINE-FREE BLEACHED PAPER (TCF) PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER PRINTED ON PROCESS CHLORINE-FREE RECYCLED PAPER (PCF) Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Tourism, Emerging and Creative Industries 2016 EN CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. I 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose of the study ..................................................................................... 1 1.2 Focus of the study ........................................................................................ 1 1.3 Content of the report .................................................................................... 2 2.0 EU POLICY FOR TOURISM EDUCATION AND TRAINING ...................................... 3 2.1 EU tourism policy ......................................................................................... 3 2.2 EU education and training policy .................................................................... 5 2.3 EU cohesion policy ........................................................................................ 7 3.0 DEFINING TOURISM OCCUPATIONS ................................................................... 9 3.1 Defining the tourism sector ........................................................................... 9 3.2 Defining tourism occupations ........................................................................ 11 4.0 TOURISM EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS ................................................................ 16 4.1 Level of employment in the tourism sector ..................................................... 16 4.2 Nature of employment in the tourism sector ................................................... 23 4.3 Level of education of employees in the tourism sector ...................................... 26 4.4 Specific skill challenges ................................................................................ 29 4.5 Overall considerations .................................................................................. 35 5.0 TOURISM EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEMS .............................................. 37 5.1 Forecasting skill needs in the tourism sector ................................................... 37 5.2 Strategies for tourism education and training .................................................. 40 5.3 Social partners’ involvement in strategy and planning ...................................... 42 5.4 Overall considerations on tourism education and training systems ..................... 46 6.0 PROVISION OF TOURISM EDUCATION AND TRAINING ..................................... 47 6.1 Overview .................................................................................................... 47 6.2 Higher education ......................................................................................... 48 6.3 Vocational education and training .................................................................. 53 6.4 Other education and training for adults .......................................................... 60 6.5 School education ......................................................................................... 62 6.6 Overall considerations on provision ................................................................ 63 7.0 SKILLS PROVISION FOR TOURISM OCCUPATIONS ........................................... 64 7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 64 7.2 Commercial managers ................................................................................. 64 7.3 Accommodation managers and operatives ...................................................... 69 7.4 Meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions................................................. 75 7.5 Destination management ............................................................................. 78 7.6 Tour operators and travel agencies ................................................................ 83 7.7 Cultural, sports & recreational activities ......................................................... 91 8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................... 96 8.1 Conclusions ................................................................................................ 96 8.2 Recommendations ..................................................................................... 100 8.3 Action plan ............................................................................................... 101 ANNEX ONE: EUROSTAT AND ESCO DEFINITIONS .................................................. 104 ANNEX TWO: METHODOLOGICAL ANNEX................................................................ 107 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Sectors providing the main focus of the study ........................................10 Table 3.2 Tourism Occupations of main interest to the study ..................................13 Table 4.1 Number of enterprises 2013.................................................................16 Table 4.2 Number of persons employed 2013 .......................................................17 Table 4.3 Number of enterprises 2013 (I5510, I5520, I5530) ................................18 Table 4.4 Number of persons employed 2013 (Accommodation for visitors) .............19 Table 4.5 Number of enterprises 2013 (N791) ......................................................21 Table 4.6 Number of persons employed 2013 (Travel agency and tour operator activities) .........................................................................................22 Table 4.7 Characteristics of tourism employment in EU28 (2014) ...........................25 Table 4.8 Employed persons in Accommodation by level of education 2013 (EU level) ...............................................................................................................26 Table 4.9 Employed persons in Accommodation by level of education 2013 (Member State level) ............................................................................................28 Table 4.10 Percentage of individuals who booked travel and holiday accommodation over the internet in the last year ..............................................................32 Table A.1 Eurostat list of tourism characteristic activities ..................................... 104 Table A.2 ESCO Hospitality and Tourism Occupations .......................................... 105 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1 Mapping of tourism occupations by sector ............................................15 Figure 4.1 Enterprises by number of employees (Accommodation for visitors) ..........20 Figure 4.2 Enterprises by number of employees (Travel agency and tour operators) .23 Mapping and performance check of the supply side of tourism education and training EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The aim of this study has been to determine whether tourism education and training systems are fit for purpose in providing the necessary labour market skills for employers currently and in light of future anticipated market developments. In doing so, the education and training framework and qualifications have been assessed against key criteria in the context of the current key occupations in the sector. Gaps in skills provision have been identified and good practice has been highlighted. The study was completed through desk research and consultations at European level, as well as in each of the 28 Member States. Various research organisations and independent researchers supported CSES in the research at national level. Tourism employment and skills For the purposes of this study, we particularly focus on the accommodation for visitors, travel agencies and tour operators sectors. Eurostat data show that nearly 2.8m people are employed in more than 0.3m enterprises within these sectors. Of these, 85% of employees and 80% of enterprises are in the Accommodation for visitors sector (NACE I55). Employment in the tourism sector (particularly