Geo-Tours Guides: Enhancement of Tour Guides and Agents Competences on Geological Tours and Brand Building.

<< Background >>Tourism is the third largest sector of the global economy accounting for approximately 7% of global trade (UN, 2020).Many countries worldwide are highly dependent on the tourism sector as it can represent over 20% of their GDP (UN,2020). With the Covid-19 outbreak, the sector faced an unprecedented shock as international tourism declined rapidly byalmost 70% in 2020 (UN, 2020). As a result, economies, services and livelihoods were impacted and millions of directemployee’s jobs in the tourism sector at stake. The European Federation of Tourism Guide Associations’ (FEG) study(May 2020) revealed tourist guides across the EU as one of the hardest-hit due to the pandemic.The UN policy briefing, announced in August 2020, highlights the necessity of restructuring the tourism sector shifting ittowards sustainability and inclusive green growth taken also into consideration the pandemic-induced recession. Itenvisions the harmonisation of innovation and digitization, while embracing the society, through 5 priorities, includingboosting competences and digitalisation of the tourism ecosystem. Further to this, the European Skills Agenda forsustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (2020) sets ambitious, quantitative << Objectives >>The preliminary needs analysis performed by the partnership shaped the project's core mission to increase the digitalcapacity of tour guides and tour agents while providing expertise on thematic geological tours. In this framework, theproject aims to develop a novel blended training package directed to tourist guides, tourist guide students and touristagencies that are interested to obtain expertise on Geo-tourism and develop the brand of their Geo-tours. The trainingpackage will provide skills related to the online branding of their tours, i.e. digital, marketing & networking skills, as well asan online textbook dedicated to specific geological routes and their theoretical information. The training package and anaccompanying e-Guidebook will be both OER available on the project’s e-learning platform. The project’s specificobjectives were- Design a novel training package for tourist guides, tourist guide students and tourist agencies to obtain expertise ongeological thematic tours.- Develop the target groups’ branding-related skills (i.e. digital & social media marketing, general digital skills, networkingetc.) to make transition from theory to commercialisation.- Strengthen and extend Geological competences of the tar<< Implementation >>For the purposes of the project the partnership perform the activities below:PR1: The aim of this PR was to get the basis on which to build the training course. As a result, a desk research report will beproduced 1) identify the training needs of the project’s target group with regard to tours digital branding and obtainexpertise on geological tours, and 2) identify geological paths in each partner country that will act as the practical exerciseduring the training course.PR2: A developed and tested a tailor-made blended educational programme to enhance the digital branding skills with aspecial focus on tours and geological expertise/knowledge. The training content will be based on formal and non-formaleducation. It will be available as an OER on the project’s platform in EN,FR,GR,PL,SL,IT&MT.PR3: A developed and tested a virtual space dedicated to the Geo-Tours Guides Training Course and project.. Its aim isto provide in-depth support for discourse and speechwriting with step-by-step prompts. The platform 1) ensures accessto relevant stakeholders of the tourist sector, 2) it will also safeguard self-learning of interested parties, and 3) trainersand educators can enhance their professional profile with high-quality training material specifically on geological tourismand branding for effective promotion of the respective touristic product tour guides and agents. It is be available inEN,FR,GR,PL,SL,IT&MT.PR4: A developed and tested training e-Guidebook that will provide a didactic methodology for the Geo-Tours Guidesblended training course to trainers/educators and other stakeholders linked to the tourism sector. It will safeguard futureutilisation of the training course and platform by the other stakeholders outside the partnership. It will be available inEN,FR,GR,PL,SL,IT&MT.Ε1-6: Multiplier events – Info-days. Each project partner country will organise a local event aiming to promote anddisseminate project the PRs, with a special focus to promote Open Educational Resources (OER) produced in theproject, to various stakeholders involved in the tourism sector. The events will be implemented in the last months of theproject.LTTA1: Train the trainer. A -day training for 12 VET trainers/educators from all partner countries (2 participants from eachcountry). The activity will provide training on how to utilise the R2: Blended Training course and PR3: e-Learning Platform.Participants will be trained on both PRs and become “ambassadors” of the educational material back in their country.LTTA2:Training for tour guides & agents. A 5-day training for 30 tour guides and tour agents from all partner countries (5participants from each country). The activity will provide training related to the PR2: Blended Training course and PR3: e-Learning Platform. Participants will develop their skills in tour digital branding and obtain expertise on geo-tours.<< Results >>Tourism is the third largest sector of the global economy accounting for approximately 7% of global trade (UN, 2020).Many countries worldwide are highly dependent on the tourism sector as it can represent over 20% of their GDP (UN,2020). With the Covid-19 outbreak, the sector faced an unprecedented shock as international tourism declined rapidly byalmost 70% in 2020 (UN, 2020). As a result, economies, services and livelihoods were impacted and millions of directemployee’s jobs in the tourism sector at stake. The European Federation of Tourism Guide Associations’ (FEG) study(May 2020) revealed tourist guides across the EU as one of the hardest-hit due to the pandemic.The UN policy briefing, announced in August 2020, highlights the necessity of restructuring the tourism sector shifting ittowards sustainability and inclusive green growth taken also into consideration the pandemic-induced recession. Itenvisions the harmonisation innovation and digitisation, while embracing the society, through 5 priorities, includingboosting competences & digitalisation of the tourism ecosystem. Further to this, the European Skills Agenda forsustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (2020) sets ambitious, quantitative objectives for upskillingand reskilling to be achieved within the next 5 years and sets them as a priority for a sustainable recovery after thepandemic. The Pact identifies tourism as one of the four priority sectors.A tourist guide is an area-specific profession, always related to a country/region/city. Professional tourist guides arequalified for theory and practice. Life-Long Training & Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is always needed bytourist guides around the world to update their skills and knowledge in guided tours (FEG). In connection with this,changing customer preferences forces tourist guides and agents to shape new tourism models by introducing locallydiversified and customised touristic solutions. Tourists are expected during and after the covid-19 pandemic to showpreference in individual or small group guiding rather than larger groups, as well as guiding in open spaces (JointResearch Centre, 2020). Tourist guides upskilling and reskilling in nature-related tours, such as Geological tours, is nowneeded more than ever.Geotourism is a thematic touristic area that is now being discovered and attracts the interest of many tourists. It is an‘alternative’ type of rural tourism that is motivated by the experience, knowledge and enjoyment of geodiversity and geo-heritage. It is mainly promoted in the areas that have been designated by UNESCO as World Geoparks, as well as, inareas of special or recognized ecological, cultural and man-made interest. A few out of its many benefits, it enhances thegeographical character of a place, provides education to the effects of natural disasters and climate change andstimulates the local-economic activities of an area. The authentic local character and environmentally friendly approach isthe kind of experience that nature attracted tourists seek nowadays.Following the above, the project aims to develop a novel blended training package directed to tourist guides, tourist guidestudents and tourist agencies that are interested to obtain expertise on Geotourism and develop the brand of their Geo-tours. The project’s specific objectives are:-Design a novel training package for tourist guides, tourist guide students and tourist agencies to obtain expertise ongeological thematic tours.-Develop the target groups’ branding-related skills (i.e. digital & social media marketing, general digital skills, networkingetc.) to make the transition from theory to commercialisation.-Strengthen and extend Geological competences of the target group in addition to their basic training/education.-Enhance the target groups’ tour portfolio with quality and unique tours based on the current trends of the customerpreferences for nature touris