Green skills for sustainable tourism: the pathway to employability in less-developed regions

<< Background >>We applied for the Green4SustainableTourism project to respond to the lack of accessible, practical education in sustainable tourism for adults in esp. rural areas of Slovakia and Hungary. While both countries promote tourism, they lack targeted training in sustainable tourism entrepreneurship, despite having excellent natural and cultural assets. Many adults, especially micro-entrepreneurs from less developed districts, expressed interest in starting nature - / eco-friendly businesses but lacked confidence, knowledge, or a starting point. We aimed to build their green and entrepreneurial skills and inspire new ways to protect local heritage while supporting employment. The project also addressed low levels of environmental awareness, limited support for inclusive adult education, and the need for examples of sustainable practices. With a strong cross-border approach, the project brought new methods, inclusive materials, and real-life applications to people who otherwise remain underserved by mainstream education and business support systems.<< Objectives >>The main objective of the project was to increase the employability and self-confidence of adults from rural and less developed areas by equipping them with practical skills in sustainable tourism and green entrepreneurship. We aimed to empower at least 60 adult learners to explore nature-friendly business ideas that protect local heritage and respond to growing eco-tourism trends. Through inclusive, easy-to-understand educational materials and interactive workshops, we wanted to make complex topics like sustainability, value chains, or climate responsibility accessible to all, including people with dyslexia or highly-functional autism. The project also sought to inspire participants to act as local change-makers by providing creative examples of sustainable practices and connecting entrepreneurship with community and environmental values. Finally, we aimed to foster cross-border cooperation and promote exchange of good practices between Slovakia and Hungary in adult education and green transition.<< Implementation >>We implemented a comprehensive set of activities aimed at developing skills in sustainable tourism and entrepreneurship for adults. First activity was dedicated to project management in order to achieve project goal and provide reliable outcomes and outputs on time and within the budget. The second activity was dedicated to creation of educational programme - we created a methodology that combined environmental awareness, basic business skills, and local heritage protection. Based on this, we developed inclusive learning tools: a handbook, workbook, flashcards, and educational videos – all in SK, HU and ENG. Print materials were adapted for adults with dyslexia or highly-functional autism. As the third activity we organised three series of online courses (2x Slovakia, 1x Hungary) and two rounds of in-person workshops in Slovakia and Hungary, supported by tailored presentations and excursions. We conducted tests and feedback collection. Dissemination activities included publishing blog articles on EPALE, sharing content on social media, and hosting final events in both countries. All outputs were shared publicly in SK, HU and ENG to support long-term impact and reusability.<< Results >>Communication and dissemination strategy described in the Communication Plan of the project.Project sub-web pages on main partner website and blogs on EPALE, communication on social networks.Methodology of educational program – 88 pages in dyslexia friendly font - 3 languages (SK, HU, ENG) for free download (EPALE, greenfoundation.eu ).Handbook and Practice book for program, Flashcards - in dyslexia friendly font - 3 languages (SK, HU, ENG) for free download (EPALE, greenfoundation.eu ), 3 educational videos.Registered participants for the theoretical part of the educational program: 16 (1st online SK) + 15 (2nd online SK) + 59 (HU) = 90 registered participantsImplementation of the theoretical part of educational program with 10 online lectures: 2x in Slovakia 19 Nov-19 Dec 2024 and 13Jan-3Feb 2025 and 1x in Hungary 28 Jan-4 Feb 2025Registered participants for international workshops: 21 SK and 18 HU:2 international workshops: HU - 11 Feb 2025, SK - 28 Feb 2025Registered participants for practical workshops: 29 SK and 19 HUThe practical part of educational program with 10 workshops: in SK 29 Jan-2 Feb 2025 and in HU 1-4 Oct 2024 2 multiplication events: on 11.2.2025 in HU and 28.2.2025 in SK