Training tourism professionals is considered an “essential pillar” for providing top services
Around 1,800 tourism professionals are due to receive training through a new programme launched by the national tourism authority Turismo de Portugal and regional tourism board Turismo do Algarve (RTA).
The “ambitious” project is entitled ‘Competências do Futuro Algarve’ (Algarve Future Skills) and will feature 440 hours of online training, led by the Hotel and Tourism Schools of Faro, Portimão and Vila Real de Santo António.
The goal is to help tourism professionals develop their skills, thus improving the quality of the region’s tourism services.
Workers from several sectors within the tourism industry will undergo training, such as Leadership and Team Management, Management Competencies, Marketing and Digital Literacy, Excellence Service in the Tourism Sector and Sustainable Management of Resources and Water Efficiency.
“Providing services of excellence is an unnegotiable compromise for the Algarve, and training professionals is an essential pillar to reach that goal within such a fundamental sector for the regional economy,” says Algarve tourism chief André Gomes.
“The most recent tourism activity results from 2023 attest to the continuous success of the Algarve and position the region as the main tourist destination in the country,” adds Gomes, stressing that “with a combination of records, from the number of guests to the profits of tourist accommodation, from golf rounds to passengers at Faro Airport, these results are a testament to the success of Algarve’s tourism activity”.
The way the tourism boss sees it, “it is extremely important to use this momentum” to continue training tourism professionals and ensure the region is well-positioned for continued success.
In order to ensure that the training sessions focus on what professionals truly need to learn, or deepen their knowledge of, the tourism board launched a survey of training needs within the business sector.
“Subsequently, the Network of Tourism Schools of Portugal created a set of programmes in different areas that can be attended either in full or in blocks, depending on the needs. Content adapted to the sector and applicable in different areas of tourism activity was then developed,” RTA says.
The training programme will be held in two sessions, the first taking place between February and May and the second between October and December – in other words, outside of the busy high season. There will also be four in-person bootcamps at the three schools, followed by an in-person event attended by all participants at the end of the online training sessions.
michael.bruxo@portugalresident.com
