In May and June, as part of the Erasmus+ EcoHarmony project, partner institutions organized a series of Curriculum Workshops aimed at designing a proposal of curriculum program aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Framework (GSTF).
💡 The foundation for these workshops were insights from previous focus groups and surveys, which highlighted key learning outcomes and innovative teaching approaches.
In total, over 60 participants, primarily tourism educators, took part in seven workshops across all partner institutions.
The results: ✅ Preliminary curriculum framework with 10 modules, covering topics from tourism fundamentals to advanced areas such as digital tourism, circular economy, and ethics in tourism. ✅ Defined 50+ learning outcomes, addressing economic, social, and environmental aspects of tourism. ✅ Integrated diverse teaching methods: active learning, gamification, simulations, fieldwork, and industry collaboration.
👏 A big thank you to all project partners for their dedication and valuable input!
🔗 Stay tuned for more project updates and outcomes!
As part of the Erasmus+ co-funded by the European Union EcoHarmony Project, we launched a comprehensive survey targeting higher education lecturers and researchers in tourism across Europe. The goal: to understand current practices, challenges, and aspirations in sustainable and regenerative tourism education.
🗣️ Who responded? Over 180 educators from 7 countries shared their perspectives on how tourism education aligns with sustainability principles and what needs to change.
Most respondents are familiar with sustainable tourism, but fewer have fully integrated regenerative tourism into their courses.
SDGs, climate change, and cultural heritage are top content areas already being taught, while green finance, smart tourism, and AI tools are gaining traction for future integration.
📚 Curriculum & Competencies
Sustainability is often covered as optional content, not as a core framework in tourism courses.
There’s a strong desire to embed SDGs, interdisciplinary learning, and community engagement into the curriculum.
Practical training (e.g. internships, real-world projects) and project-based learning are the preferred methods.
🧠 Skills for the Future Educators emphasized the importance of:
Communication skills
Systems thinking
Partnerships with industry, government, and NGOs
Student leadership and behavioral learning
Equipping students with digital skills like AI, GIS, and sustainability data tools
⚠️ Challenges Identified
Lack of training and updated resources for educators
Weak industry partnerships
Misalignment between student expectations, academic content and real challenges
Limited socio-emotional learning and fieldwork opportunities
Let’s drive change in sustainable and regenerative tourism education! It’s time to break through the hurdles of limited integration and weak industry ties. Join educators in shaping curricula that equip students with future-focused skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and stronger industry connections to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Be part of the transformation today!
We are excited to share an update on a key milestone in our research project! Alongside our six partners, we recently conducted a series of insightful focus groups aimed at gathering diverse perspectives on the intersection of sustainable tourism education, industry needs, and technological advancements.
Each partner facilitated a focus group consisting of 8-12 participants, bringing together a dynamic mix of
educators in the field of sustainable tourism, industry experts, and IT professionals specializing in tourism-related technologies. These sessions provided valuable discussions on current trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of sustainable tourism education.
Key Takeaways from the Focus Groups:
The growing importance of integrating digital tools and IT solutions to support sustainable tourism education.
Collaboration between academia and industry is essential for developing innovative solutions that drive sustainability in tourism. Technology can play a crucial role in improving sustainable tourism initiatives, from smart destination management to responsible travel experiences.
The new generations of professionals must be prepared to tackle the key sustainability challenges in the tourism sector, including climate change, efficient resource use, participatory governance, equity, and inclusion, as well as biodiversity conservation and the promotion of circular economy practices.
The insights gathered from these focus groups will play a crucial role in shaping our next steps, including developing solutions that align with the needs of both educators and industry professionals in the future of tourism education.
We extend our gratitude to all participants for their time, expertise, and valuable contributions. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue advancing this project!
