Empowering Front Line personnel of Hospitality and Tourism Industry through 3D serious games

The WELCOME project was initiated to address the growing need for high-quality, innovative vocational training in the hospitality sector, particularly for hotel receptionists. The hospitality indu...

WELCOME project aimed to enhance vocational training in the hospitality sector by developing an innovative 3D learning platform. The key objectives were to: Improve Training Quality: Provide realistic, interactive, and immersive learning experiences for hotel receptionists through 3D simulations. Enhance Customer Service Skills: Develop effective communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence in handling guest interactions. Increase Accessibility & Flexibility: Enable anytime, anywhere training through a web-based platform, making learning more inclusive and adaptable. Support Assessment & Certification: Offer a structured assessment tool where trainers can evaluate trainees' skills through real-time role-playing and feedback. Foster Innovation in VET Education: Introduce game-based learning to enhance engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention. Ensure Sustainability & Transferability: Provide authoring tools to allow educators and businesses to adapt and expand the training content to different languages and scenarios. By achieving these goals, the project contributed to modernizing vocational education, aligning training with industry needs, and boosting employability in the hospitality sector.

WELCOME project was implemented through a structured set of activities designed to develop, test, and refine the 3D training and assessment platform for hotel receptionists. The main activities included the: Development of the 3D Training Platform • Designed and built an interactive 3D learning environment using the Unity game engine. • Created realistic hotel reception scenarios where trainees could engage in simulated guest interactions. • Integrated Non-Player Characters (NPCs) with branching dialogue options, allowing trainees to practice and refine their communication skills. Development of the 3D Assessment Tool • Created a multiplayer version of the platform where assessors controlled guest avatars instead of NPCs. • Allowed real-time interactions with custom, typed responses, simulating live customer service situations. • Implemented automatic session recording to track and review trainees’ communication strategies. Creation of Management and Authoring Tools • Developed an online authoring tool enabling trainers to modify scenarios, translate content, and add new learning materials. • Built a backend management system for trainee registration, session scheduling, and progress tracking. Scenario Development & Localization • Partners created customized training scenarios, covering common and complex reception situations. • Translated and adapted the content into multiple languages for wider accessibility. Pilot Trainings & Certification Process • Conducted pilot training sessions in Poland, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy, engaging at least 20 trainers. • Trainees used the platform for interactive learning, followed by live assessment sessions for certification. • Gathered feedback from trainees and trainers to refine the platform. Dissemination & Promotion Activities • Held Multiplier Events with over 200 participants to showcase project outcomes. • Used social media, newsletters, and conferences to reach educators, VET providers, policymakers, and hospitality businesses.

Within the WELCOME project, there were developed 4 main results: 1. WELCOME training materials and narrative scenarios – developed in 4 language versions (Polish, English, Greek, Italian). Moreover, the results was split into two parts: TRAINING MATERIALS AND NARRATIVE SCENARIOSE where were described key activities of the WELCOME project with the presentation of developed learning outcomes and narrative scenarios and the additional part with training materials containing sample tasks to be performed by a receptionist. The developed training content and exercises are a supplement to the scenarios available on the project website http://welcome.omegatech.gr/ and platform https://welcome.senarios.omegatech.gr/app/index.html as well as the person certification model https://webtraining.cycert.org.cy . 2. WELCOME Online 3D platform for training and assessment https://welcome.senarios.omegatech.gr/app/index.html - developed in in 4 language versions (Polish, English, Greek, Italian) with the prepared communication scenarios based on the real life of receptionist. 3. WELCOME certification scheme for persons developed in in 4 language versions (Polish, English, Greek, Italian) - the assessment and certification of individuals in the tourism industry ensure that professionals meet industry standards, possess the necessary skills, and are capable of delivering high-quality services. This process enhances professionalism, improves service quality, and increases employability within the sector. Within the WELCOME project, individuals from the tourism industry, were assessed in order to be certified. For the certification of the individuals, a certification scheme was developed based on the Standard ISO/IEC 17024:2012: Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. This Certification Scheme describes all procedures that apply for obtaining, assessing, granting, maintaining, and withdrawing Certification of professionals in accordance with the requirements of the Standard ISO/IEC 17024:2012, requirements defined by CCC’s internal procedures and other requirements set by the project. The Certification Scheme refers to any individual from the tourism industry, who wants to demonstrate knowledge and ability that was developed within the project, through certification. More specifically, the Certification Scheme contains guidance and information for candidates to be certified and certified professionals for the following: the application and the process of assessing the persons for obtaining the certification; the criteria to be met for initial certification; the criteria for re-certification; the obligations of CCC for the Evaluation, Grant, Use, Maintenance, Suspension and Withdrawing of Certification. the obligations of certified professionals. For the assessment of individuals an LMS platform was used. The examination tests consisted of multiple-choice questions covering all training materials developed within the project. Application procedure: To begin the application process, the candidate needs to first create an account in the LMS. The information regarding where and how the account can be created shall be provided to the applicant with the rest of the information when the activation of the certification scheme and the examination period is published. The applicant must provide all personal information during the application process and, by accepting the relevant fields, affirms compliance with this regulation and all pertinent procedures. In addition, the applicant uploads electronic proof of identity and academic credentials, or qualifications as required by the certification scheme (proof that the individual works in the tourism industry). The application form includes the following information and data for each applicant: Name, surname, Father’s name (optional), date of birth (optional), address, Telephone Number, Email, tax identification number (optional), special requests and contact details of the candidate (optional), and Evidence of pre-requisites as required by the certification scheme. Any application for Certification that does not satisfy all prerequisites will be denied. A review and verification of the application was made to ensure that all required information has been submitted by the applicant. The review of the application focuses on the completeness, correctness, and validity of the data / supporting documents in relation to the minimum formal requirements for participation in the assessment procedure. Examination process: To ensure the integrity of the examination, the examination session was monitored through an invigilator. The invigilator, using TEAMS tool, guided the applicant on the steps to take, to have a view of the candidate’s screen, a view (video) and sound from the candidate. These measures have been deemed mandatory to ensure the high value, quality, and integrity of the examination mechanism and certificate. The duration of the assessment was 60 minutes. The examination consists of multiple-choice questions. The passing mark for the examination is 60% for each course and is derived automatically from the platform. The score achieved by the candidate was displayed at the end of the examination attempt to the candidate. If there is a problem with the integrity of the exam, the invigilator has the right to stop the process at any time before the final score is provided. Certification is granted for a period of 3 years and the recertification process is described within the Certification Scheme. 4. WELCOME assessment (replication) guide - developed in in 4 language versions (Polish, English, Greek, Italian) - The “WELCOME Assessment (Replication) Guide” serves as a structured roadmap for implementing the “Next Level Receptionist” certification process, an initiative within the WELCOME project aimed at empowering and enhancing the skills of frontline personnel in the hospitality sector. Developed in response to the evolving demands of the tourism and hospitality industry, the guide provides a detailed framework for executing scenario-based training that combines immersive, practical learning with internationally recognized certification standards.