The project, contracted by DG REFORM and led by Federturismo and AARC, supports the Italian Ministry of Tourism, as the beneficiary, in identifying and addressing the skills needs of the tourism sector amid the twin challenges of digital and green transitions. A central outcome of the project is the development of training modules and materials to be then launched on the Tourism Ministry platform.
Technopolis group contributed to the project by analysing the tourism skills ecosystem and identifying emerging gaps linked to digitalisation and sustainability. Our work focused on mapping the current skills landscape in the Italian tourism sector, identifying emerging skills needs, and analysing sector trends at national and EU level. In addition, we conducted benchmarking and gap analysis of training systems and policies across selected EU Member States and organised study visits to exchange best practices with international counterparts. These activities aimed to provide the Ministry with evidence-based insights and practical policy recommendations to support workforce development in the sector.
Context
The Italian tourism sector presents a strong global position but is characterised by structural features that create persistent skills challenges. Italy remains one of the world’s most visited destinations, yet the sector is highly fragmented and dominated by small, family-run businesses. This SME structure often limits companies’ capacity to invest in innovation, training, and digital transformation. Tourism activity is also geographically concentrated in iconic destinations such as Rome, Venice, and Florence, leading to overtourism pressures while other territories remain underdeveloped in tourism terms. At the same time, strong seasonality creates employment instability and reduces incentives for long-term workforce development.
The sector faces interconnected digital, green, and structural skills gaps that affect its long-term competitiveness. While awareness of the need for transformation is widespread among stakeholders, SMEs in particular remain constrained by limited resources, seasonal employment patterns, and restricted access to specialised training. Addressing these issues requires stronger alignment between training providers, businesses, and regional authorities, as well as more practical and targeted skills development programmes tailored to the needs of the tourism ecosystem.
Key Findings
One of the most significant findings concerns the lack of advanced digital competencies across the sector. Many tourism businesses have adopted basic digital tools such as booking systems or simple marketing platforms, but more sophisticated capabilities remain limited. Skills related to data analytics, AI applications, digital marketing strategies, and customer relationship management systems are still underdeveloped. This gap is particularly pronounced among SMEs, which often rely on third-party platforms rather than developing in-house digital capabilities. Although ICT training has increased in recent years, Italy still remains below the EU average in terms of companies investing in digital upskilling, highlighting a structural weakness in workforce development.
New professional roles are emerging in the tourism sector that require increasingly specialised digital and sustainability-related skill sets. Among the new roles are travel organisers, who manage the entire journey from planning to communication; travel designers, who create tailor-made tourism experiences for clients; and sustainable tourism promoters, including environmental guides and ecotourism operators who primarily work with B&Bs, farm stays, or eco-friendly accommodations. Destination management organisations also play a crucial role in promoting lesser-known territories to highlight their wealth and resources. These roles reflect the need for increased synergies among the ecosystem and stakeholders by coordinating all aspects of managing and promoting a destination.
While many businesses recognise the importance of sustainable practices and have adopted basic measures such as reducing water consumption or improving waste management, more comprehensive sustainability strategies are less common. Businesses frequently lack expertise in areas such as energy efficiency, sustainable supply chains, environmental monitoring, and eco-certification systems. High upfront costs associated with sustainability investments and certifications such as ISO 14001 also discourage smaller operators from adopting more advanced environmental practices.
Structural characteristics of the sector further limit investment in training and skills development. The dominance of SMEs, combined with strong seasonality and high employee turnover, reduces the perceived return on training investments. Many businesses rely on temporary or seasonal staff and therefore hesitate to invest in long-term workforce development. In addition, stakeholders consistently highlight a mismatch between existing training programmes and the operational needs of tourism businesses, with many courses remaining overly theoretical and insufficiently tailored to specific subsectors such as hospitality, travel agencies, or destination management.
Site visit to exchange best practices with Turismo de Portugal
The project also facilitated international knowledge exchange through a study visit to Portugal, which provided valuable insights into alternative approaches to tourism skills development. In June 2025, representatives of the Italian Ministry of Tourism participated in a study visit to Lisbon organised as part of the project. The visit allowed stakeholders to exchange experiences with Turismo de Portugal, which has developed an integrated governance framework for tourism skills and training. Participants explored initiatives such as the Digital Academy, an online platform offering training in digital marketing, AI applications, and sustainable tourism practices, as well as Formação + Próxima, a programme that collaborates with municipalities to design locally tailored training initiatives. These examples highlighted the importance of linking national strategies with regional and local training systems.
Next steps
The project will conclude with the presentation of the results of the study in Rome. The final event, scheduled for this Spring, will present the project’s findings and introduce the materials developed to key stakeholders across the tourism ecosystem. The digital platform is expected to support the sector’s digital and green transition by centralising training resources, facilitating access to learning opportunities, and helping tourism professionals develop the skills needed to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
