Sustainable tourism business strategies through service-based learning

The partnership applied for this project to address the severe impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector and the need for a more sustainable world. We aimed to promote sustainable businesses within...

The objectives of the project were as follows: *General Objective: Promote sustainable businesses and entrepreneurship. *Specific Objectives: 1. Support the professional development of teachers, trainers, and educators in sustainability using the service-learning methodology. 2. Provide the general public with free access to verified sustainable options. 3. Actively involve VET centers in community improvement. By implementing this project, these objectives were addressed. Thanks to the Project Results, VET professors developed and updated their competences and knowledge. They worked with students in new activities that involved them in the community through service-learning, promoting research skills and connecting with real companies, thus creating a network for future employment opportunities. Additionally, as the project focused on sustainability and promoting sustainable practices in tourism, information on this topic was made accessible to the general public through the Communication Campaign and the App created during the project's life cycle.

During the project’s life cycle, the following activities were implemented in chronological order: Learning, Training, Teaching Activities: C1: Sustainability Strategies in Business and Entrepreneurship in Ireland. Teachers and staff from the different partners received training on sustainable business strategies, focusing on the tourism sector, the impact of tourism, climate change mitigation actions, and creating sustainable start-ups. C2: Communication Campaign for Promoting Sustainable Tourism Businesses through Service-Learning. Linked to PR2, students learned about the communication campaign and started drafting it to disseminate in localities. C3: Digital Tools in the Education Field: the TOURBIZ App. Training on how to input information into the App, involving students and staff from different organizations. This activity included the official beta testing of the App. Additionally, there were three Transnational Project Meetings to ensure the project progressed as expected and to introduce any necessary changes in time. Multiplier Events were held to promote the tangible products, encourage other businesses to be included in the App, and motivate other VET centers to implement service-learning activities.

PROJECT RESULTS: 1. Teacher Training Guide. A general guide for teachers, including a dossier on explaining sustainability and creating activities focused on sustainable entrepreneurship and businesses in tourism. This supported the professional development of teachers, trainers, and educators in sustainability. 2. Guide for Creating a Communication Campaign on Sustainable Tourism through Service-Learning. A step-by-step guide for creating a publicity campaign where students and local organizations collaborated to promote sustainable tourism through service-learning activities. 3. TOURBIZ App. An app featuring a map with research on sustainable businesses, serving as a consulting tool for people interested in sustainable options like restaurants, hotels, transportation, and companies. It also included the communication campaign created by students.