Afbeelding
The digital and sustainable transition as the European Commission defines the key challenge for tourism outlines 27 action points in the 'Transition Pathway' document issued in 2022. With input and knowledge from stakeholders from all disciplines in the tourism sub-sectors, a picture has been drawn showing the vulnerabilities and opportunities for the travel industry in the future. This provides insight into what Brussels has on the agenda and facilitates the conversation on how to address national and/or regional Human Capital in leisure, tourism and hospitality.
After years of gaining insights into how the Dutch travel sector is developing digitally, Human Capital is still an aspect of it that personally always fascinates me. Especially talent development. In 10 years, I have had the opportunity to meet some very successful startups, digital marketers, social media experts, innovation managers, data specialists and travel tech entrepreneurs and follow their developments that have left an impact. I am super grateful to have witnessed the prime of digital marketing and technology in travel and its emergence and rollout, but I noticed over the last few years that I was running into more issues, opportunities and challenges that are less flashy but need to be told.
When I was approached to join European skills development projects after the sale of TravelNext (Chief Editor of the Dutch travel marketing platform, 2014- 2017), it felt so good that I decided to commit to it. In all conversations I subsequently had with European partners, it became clear how all countries were dealing with the same issues and that each had its own story to tell. Issues were discussed in the light of the 'Next Tourism Generation' that many people would identify with and that companies struggle with. We had a chance to look for the pain points for a future-proof travel industry. That started in 2018, and things looked very different then than they do now. Immediately in the first surveys, it emerged that skills in the sector are missing or in short supply. That became the message for the following years.
The whole concept of skills in tourism had to be delineated. Initially, you go off on what you can already find, and in 2018, the stakes were different from today. Skills were defined in 'digital, social & green' skills. We had attractive data sets that showed per skill set where the biggest 'gaps' are. By making data insightful, you can weigh up where priorities lie. This ultimately ensured that no topic was shunned. We are short of knowledge and people with digital and sustainable skills. In the end, I and colleagues had so many conversations in the Netherlands and Europe that cases abound confirming this. We wanted to know why this is so and who could play a role in 'upskilling and reskilling' human capital in tourism so we set out to find out. In that search, we did not shy away from any painful topic.
The conversations had a different character for Corona than during the pandemic. Without the pandemic, we would never have known the connections between the success factors for a future-proof sector and what impact human capital can have if you don't have a clear vision.
To frame the discussion in my opening column, I focus on two principles that I believe are central to the concept of Human Capital Development. I hope they will appeal to you. Innovating the sector is also renewing the vision of skills and intelligence. Digitalisation, social and economic developments are inextricably linked to dynamic, competitive, and thriving sectors and this calls for human capital leadership.
Lobke Elbers
Theme Manager Human Capital at CELTH
Digital Lead Pact for Next Tourism Generation Skills (EU)
