The Challenge
The Greek Ministry of Tourism, with support from the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Programme (DG REFORM), initiated a mission to drive institutional, administrative, and structural reform in tourism education. The goal was to establish a strategic and sustainable framework for tourism education and create a blueprint for a modern Academy dedicated to lifelong learning and cutting-edge research in tourism.
While tourism is a cornerstone of Greece’s economy, its education framework has not kept pace with evolving industry demands or international best practices. As part of the project, the following needs were identified:
- The need for a cohesive tourism education policy based on global benchmarks.
- Designing a forward-looking Academy model to foster excellence and innovation.
- Aligning stakeholder input to ensure the system’s relevance and applicability.
Strategic Approach
To address these challenges, the project implemented a series of interrelated activities, each aimed at achieving specific deliverables:
- Policy Formulation: A comprehensive strategy for tourism education was designed, incorporating lessons from Greek reforms and successful European models. This included defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Academy.
- Legislative Drafting: A draft law on tourism education was prepared, alongside an initial cost estimate for establishing and operating the Academy.
- Operational Action Plan: A roadmap for the Academy’s setup and operation was developed, ensuring alignment with best practices and stakeholder consultation.
- Curriculum Development: Recommendations were formulated for modern courses and curricula, emphasizing cooperation with the private sector and labour market relevance.
- Tourism Research Centre: Detailed recommendations and secondary legislation were provided to operationalize a complementary Research Centre.
- Business Planning: A corporate strategy and business plan were drafted for the Academy’s sustainable growth, including integration with the Research Centre.
Results
The project successfully delivered a transformative roadmap for Greece’s tourism education sector. By leveraging international best practices and extensive stakeholder engagement, the Ministry developed:
- A strategic tourism education policy, providing a robust foundation for future reforms.
- A detailed and actionable blueprint for a modern Academy, fostering lifelong learning and innovation in tourism.
- A framework for collaboration between academia, industry, and government.
This ambitious initiative underscores the power of strategic planning and stakeholder collaboration in addressing systemic challenges. By laying the groundwork for institutional excellence, Greece is poised to set a new standard in tourism education, strengthening its position as a leader in the industry.
