DIVETOUR PROJECT
DIVETOUR is a project Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme that aims to introduce innovative methodologies and tools in the accessible tourism sector.
The pandemic situation has put a strain on the tourism sector and, now more than ever, it is necessary to rethink this sector, starting with the design of tourism that is accessible to everyone.
Students and professionals of the tourism sector will be involved in this project and will be provided with the necessary instruments to face the current challenges that are present in this sector in terms of accessible tourism.
The project will be carried out by several European partners from Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain: this will help to produce a truly international result. Each partner has specific expertise in areas such as tourism, accessible tourism, communication, innovation and training.
DIVETOUR will be a digital journey, and will include an online platform, a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), a game based app, and a chatbot.
With these tools, the participants of the project will greatly enrich their professional competencies interactively, collaboratively and – most importantly – respectfully.
HOTREC believes that project’s focus on developing innovative training tools and supporting the uptake of accessible tourism is valuable to address the staffing crisis the hospitality sector is currently experiencing and to develop new opportunities for the recovery of tourism. HOTREC is contributing to the development of a training path for the project and is keen involve hospitality and tourism sector professionals and representatives in upcoming training modules.
Introduction
Funded by the Erasmus + programme, VET sector, the project has as a priority objective the creation and testing of innovative methodologies and tools for training and for the labor market, in a perspective of active and inclusive collaboration that will involve all those who, from different points of view, deal with tourism and in particular with accessible tourism.
Addressing individuals and organisations operating in different sectors – Vocational Education and Training, labour market, research, and development – the project provides the implementation of specific tools for learning, for the experimentation of innovative technologies within enterprises, and also tools to stimulate dialogue among different operators in the sector, whether they are student trainers or economic operators.
Objectives
- Reducing the training gap within tourism VET providers on accessible tourism topics.
- Providing VET trainers and learners with new knowledge, skills, and competences on possible strategies for the tourism sector recovery after the pandemic, with a focus on accessible tourism challenges and potential.
- Developing and experimenting new educational approaches and innovative digital training tools by integrating collaborative and game-based learning into VET.
- Developing the training tools in such a way that they are as inclusive and accessible as possible considering the needs and rights of VET learners with disabilities.
Results
- Creation of an online platform – Open Learning Community: a space for dialogue and confrontation among VET sector, companies, and experts.
- Creation of a connectivist MOOC: a month-long event in which a free course on accessible tourism will be made available for everyone.
- Creation of a game-based app: to foster awareness among young people on the ethical and economic relevance of accessible tourism and to learn about the opportunities and challenges of accessible tourism by playing, including also specific customer care strategies.
- Creation of a conversation simulator (chatbot) for tourism sector operators: to interact with users through digital devices only and to improve the quality of information and communication in relation to issues such as inclusiveness and accessibility