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.
🔍 Key Insights
🧭 Awareness & Integration
- 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!
