From the Roots: European Good Practices in Ecotourism to Connect VET providers and Local Communities

Our project aimed to establish a community-centered approach to sustainable tourism education across Europe. We sought to achieve three main objectives: 1. First, we wanted to promote the exchange...

Our project aimed to establish a community-centered approach to sustainable tourism education across Europe. We sought to achieve three main objectives: 1. First, we wanted to promote the exchange of sustainable tourism best practices that empower local communities to define the essential skills and competencies needed in the sector. This would ensure tourism development respects local voices. 2. Second, we aimed to leverage digital tools to create accessible educational pathways for VET learners on sustainable tourism practices. This would prepare future tourism professionals with the green skills needed for environmentally responsible operations. 3. Third, we intended to strengthen the commitment of VET staff in the tourism education sector to integrate sustainability principles and community engagement into their teaching approaches through networking, capacity building, and shared learning experiences. Together, these objectives addressed the critical need to align tourism education with environmental priorities and community needs.

We applied for 'From the Roots' to address the critical gap between tourism development and environmental sustainability across Europe. Our research identified that local communities often have minimal input in tourism planning despite bearing the environmental consequences. Additionally, VET curricula in tourism lacked comprehensive sustainability competencies aligned with real community needs. The project addressed three urgent needs: First, the absence of a standardized framework for sustainable tourism skills that incorporated community perspectives. Second, limited access for VET learners to quality educational resources on environmental responsibility in tourism. Third, insufficient capacity among VET staff to integrate sustainability principles into tourism education. For this reason, we thought that by connecting VET providers with local communities through participatory approaches, we could aim to create practical, community-informed educational resources that would prepare future tourism professionals to implement environmentally responsible practices while respecting local needs.

1. Rubric: A comprehensive rubric containing 22 sustainable tourism skills, derived from ESCO competencies and customized to specific needs. It includes skill descriptors and ratings from 1 to 5 (Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Needs I; 2. 'Sustainable Tourism in the EU: Local Good Practices'; 3. Online Course 'Sustainable Tourism and Local Communities':; Booklet post mobility; Interview protocol; Research on good practices