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solutions for tourism businesses and also distance learning and training options therefore had
to be developed and implemented.
Digitalisation in Tourism
Tourism stimulates economic and social development and the sector generates economic
growth in form of income, employment and investment in Europe. It creates companies and
employment on a large scale which in turn provide revenue to fund facilities and
infrastructure for visitors and residents.
There are many stakeholders in tourism, the major players with regard to the labour market
are:
- Private companies of all sizes
- Public companies such as airlines or train companies
- Employees
- Educational tourism institutions in VET and Higher Education
- Regional and national tourism agencies
Digitalisation is transforming the society as a whole, but also the way companies do business.
In the tourism industry tour operators and other travel businesses are more and more relying
on a range of digital tools and processes to be efficient and competitive. This in turn needs
staff with a high level of digital skills, especially in business areas where the digitalisation is
part of the core business and can’t be subcontracted to IT specialists.
The pandemic accelerated the need for businesses to implement more and more digital
practices as travellers request digital communications, online sales and contactless solutions.
This means that businesses need to embed digitalisation into their operations wherever
possible in order to gain or keep a competitive advantage and that their staff needs to receive
adequate training in digital skills.
An in-depth analysis of challenges and opportunities undertaken by the Aalborg University in
2018 and titled “Digitalisation in Tourism” reveals the following picture:
“Digital technologies have brought significant transformation to the tourism industry,
revolutionizing tourism enterprises, products and experiences, business ecosystems, and
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