Next Tourism Generation NTG

What Green, social , digital skills and competencies do you need now and in the future in Tourism as an employee. You can explore the sectors of Tour Operator and Travel Agents, Accommodation, Destination Management, Food and Beverage, and Visitor Attractions, and work areas in different size organisations.

What Green, social , digital skills and competencies do your employees need now and in the future in Tourism as an employer. You can explore the sectors of Tour Operator and Travel Agents, Accommodation, Destination Management, Food and Beverage, and Visitor Attractions, and work areas in different size organisations.

THE NTG blueprint strategy is responding to skills gaps in tourism and hospitality. In a rapidly changing digital technology and destination impacts of tourism are leading to influences which are causing significant pressures on the destination society, its local economy, culture and natural environment. What will the implications of such impacts be for tourism in 2030? How will Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, shifting demographics and customer preferences, impact tourism employment sand training? These are important questions which the NTG project has concentrated upon to bridge the gap and progress the skills needed and enhance tourism career prospects

In your hiring process, it’s important to accurately gauge the skill level of your candidates as it pertains to their ability to do their job. Assessing these skills can take a wide variety of forms. You may ask candidates for a writing sample, a project, or a presentation. You must assess if the candidate has achieved the skill, is above the skill or can be developed in order to fully achieve the skill in the future. As the candiadate you need to know the skills required, and assess yourself as having them and how you would prove that you had them. To start the assessment you must first select the criteria to establish the skills and competentcies for the area you are interested in, selecting from the drop down boxes your criteria . Along side each skill there are four columns with a tick box in each, the columns are repersented by (Above and beyond), (Match-OK), (Partly developed), (To be developed). Look at each skill and tick the box if you believe you could prove you/the candidate fully believe this is the level. You can click on the magnifying glasses to display the competencies, before deciding the current skill level achieved. Ticking the or box is not negative but a discssion point for your development. This will become one of the skills you need to develop in the future. When you have reviewed all of the skills and tick the boxes you have a skill assessment. In your skills assessment you have identified the skills gap and the requirements for future development. You can print off the findings using the print and download the page as a record for future progress.

As much as job skills reviews are challenging to conduct, they serve a strong purpose in helping employers and employees to collaborate on goals, review historical challenges, celebrate accomplishments and establish future plans for improvement. You must first select the criteria to establish the skills and competentcies for the your area, selecting from the drop down boxes your criteria . Look at each skill and tick the box if you believe you could prove the job holder(s) fully has that skill. You can click on the magnifying glasses to display the competencies, before deciding the skill level requirements is met. Do not tick the box if the job dose not have all the competencies now, this will become one of the skills that needs to be develop. When you have reviewed all of the skills and ticked the boxes you have a Job Review. In the Job Review you will have identified skills gap and training needs. You can print off the findings using the print and download the page as a record for future progress.

The tourism and travel services industry is made up of a complex web of relationships between a variety of suppliers, tourism products, destination marketing organisations, tour operators, and travel agents, among many others. The NTG defined the industry into five sectors, to help you understand each sector: Tour Operator and Travel Agents sector Accommodation sector Destination Management sector Food and Beverage sector Visitor Attractions sector

A tour operator varies in size and capacity of operation and typically combines tour and travel components such as hotel, flights, activities and tours to create a package holiday selling directly to the customer or through third parties such as travel agents. Additionally, a tour operator produces itineraries to combine these components to promote travel related products and holidays to a wide range of customer markets. A tour operator may also sell individual components separately. Many tour operators work only on a B2B basis, or as bed-banks. A travel agent is an agent who sells holidays or separate components including hotels, flights or tours. Generally travel agents do not organize packages for sales through a third party (e.g. another travel agent) but may sometimes create individual trip packages for customers from separate services or elements. Sustainable tourism and digital transformation are driving tour operators and travel agents to increased use of productivity-enhancing technologies (e.g. cloud computing, data analytics, revenue management software) and innovative technologies such as virtual and augmented reality to generate, customise and deliver new tourist products, services and experiences..

Includes all customer activities in: hotels, bed and breakfast, hostels, pensions, motels, and residences Private homes marketed for tourist purposes Apartments, villas, self- catering, serviced and non-serviced Rural accommodation, camping and lodges Accommodation is a diverse, fast changing sector that is increasingly expected to: utilise digital technology effectively; provide excellent customer service; quality business services and innovative service design; implement environmental management practices and environment friendly products; sell unique visitor experiences including access to leisure, cultural events and the arts, local cuisine. Ranging from large-scale operators to small and micro business owners the accommodation sector utilises a wide range of digital platforms for sales and relationship management with their customers. User-friendly websites with effective, smooth online booking services are expected by customers. Soft social skills including interpersonal, communication, diversity and language encourage an attitude that promotes flexibility and service orientation. The emergence of home-sharing and other formats of hospitality has added a new dimension to traveling; spending the night away from home is not just about staying in a property anymore.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Destination management consists of the “coordinated management of all the elements that make up a tourism destination” including tourism businesses, maintenance of key tourism infrastructure, visitor management, tourism promotion and public relations and maintaining a healthy and hygienic environment for residents and visitors. Destination management takes a strategic approach to link-up these sometimes very separate elements for the better management of the destination. Such coordinated management can help to avoid overlapping functions and duplication of effort with regards to promotion, visitor services, training, business support and identify key issues at the destination. Destination management calls for a coalition of many organizations and interests working towards a common goal, ultimately providing the assurance of the competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism destination. The Destination Management Organization’s (DMO) role should be to lead and coordinate activities under a coherent strategy in pursuit of this common goal.

The commercial food and beverage sector includes a process of preparing, presenting and serving food and beverages to customers at a particular location through restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, accommodation, visitor attractions and market food stalls. This includes fresh, prepared foods as well as packaged foods, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks or beverages. There is a growing trend in gastronomy and food tourism which support local produce procurement. With the increase in importance of business meetings and personal and social events, a large number of customers visit catering establishments frequently. Recognition of specific diet and allergy requirements and regulation of allergy information for customers is of increasing importance. Food waste management is a key sustainability skill set which is becoming increasingly urgent to reduce waste from hospitality businesses.

Visitor attractions comprise a wide field of installations and services in the following three categories, which vary significantly in area size of the business, number of employees and type of attraction. The terms natural, cultural and recreational are used when describing different sizes of business in the size category.Natural attractions are those created by nature such as country parks, biosphere reserves, geoparks, caves, waterfalls, lakes or beaches. They also include manmade attractions based on natural elements such as botanic gardens, city parks, groves and orchards, as well as zoos and animal parks. The main purpose of management is conservation and education and therefore also require scientific knowledge and skills. Country ParksGardens Wildlife Attractions / Zoos Beaches, caves, canyons, etc. Other Cultural attractions are the result of the history of mankind, intellectual capacity and artistic ability. They encompass historic properties, places of worship, heritage venues, visitor centres as well as Museums and Galleries. The main purpose of management is education and conservation and therefore require also scientific knowledge and skills. Historic Properties Museums / Art Galleries / Cultural ExhibitionsSteam / Heritage Railways Visitor / Heritage Centres WorkplacesPlaces of Worship Other Recreational attractions are those built for leisure and entertainment and therefore they do not need scientific staff. They range from small venues such as Escape Rooms to large Theme Parks. This section excludes zoos and animal parks because the management of wildlife requires scientific knowledge and skills and therefore are included under natural attractions. Theme Parks Leisure attractionsEscape roomsOther

The tour operator and travel agency sector is made up of a wide variety of types and sizes of business that offer a broad range of services. Medium and smaller operators often focus on providing niche products and experiences for specific consumers eg. adventure and sports enthusiasts, travellers interested in heritage and culture or business tourists. Bigger operators often provide a broader range of offerings. There are also different types of businesses. For example, tour operators can be categorised into inbound tour operators who engage with tourists from abroad, outbound tour operators who provide consumers with tour products in foreign destinations, domestic tour operators who work within a country to provide travel packages within a tourists home country, and ground tour operators who work domestically with incoming tourists on behalf of outbound tour operators based in a different country. The number of employees varies according to the size of business and the skills needed by those employees vary depending on the type of business, the type of consumer and the area of the business they work in. The size of organisation was determined by the European Unions statistics requirements and more details can be found at Eurostat Micro company A company of less than 10 employees is referred to as a micro business. Over 90% of Tourism businesses in Europe are micro. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Small company A company with 10-49 persons employed is defined as a small business. Some travel agents and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Medium company A company with 50-249 persons employed is defined as a medium sized business. Only travel agency chains and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Large company A company with 250 or more persons employed is defined as a large business. Only tour operators can be this size; travel agents are smaller. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat

The tourist accommodation sector is made up of a wide variety of types and size of business including hotels, rural houses or inns with very few rooms, rural to large-scale independent or international hotel chains with several hundred rooms and different complementary leisure facilities. The size of the business influences the procedures and coordination between the different departments and functional areas. The number of employees will also vary according to the size of the business, so the distribution of tasks and respective skills and competencies will also be different. You can select the organisation size you wish to explore by clicking on the size of organisation button listed on the left. To help you understand each size of organisation there is a working definition provided below. The size of organisation was determined by the European Unions statistics requirements and more details can be found at Eurostat Micro company A company of less than 10 employees is referred to as a micro business. Over 90% of Tourism businesses in Europe are micro. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Small company A company with 10-49 persons employed is defined as a small business. Some travel agents and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Medium company A company with 50-249 persons employed is defined as a medium sized business. Only travel agency chains and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Large company A company with 250 or more persons employed is defined as a large business. Only tour operators can be this size; travel agents are smaller. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat

It was recognised in Destination management that organisation size was to be replaced with organisation type as the way of identifying size. Local Destination management at the local level defines a process that involves coordinated actions aimed to manage and control the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts and benefits of a specific local tourism territory. It should be carried out by local authorities and other tourism stakeholders in partnership, following principles of good governance. Regional-National Though regional and national DMOs have typically undertaken promotional marketing activities, their remit is becoming far broader, to become a strategic leader in destination development and sustainable visitor experiences. This is a vital ingredient that requires integration private and public sector organisations to support with business skills, education and training, events and planning departments, transport and public health to provide the necessary infrastructure and support for a successful destination Destination management therefore includes strategic planning and implementation, coordination and management of activities within an adequate governance structure with the integration of all tourism stakeholders under a common goal.

The F&B sector is made up of a wide variety of types and size of business. The size of the business influences the procedures and coordination between the different departments and functional areas. The number of employees will also vary according to the size of the business, so the distribution of tasks and respective skills and competencies will also be different. In the micro company each employee may have multi-functional roles. The size of organisation was determined by the European Unions statistics requirements and more details can be found at Eurostat Micro company A company of less than 10 employees is referred to as a micro business. Over 90% of Tourism businesses in Europe are micro. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Small company A company with 10-49 persons employed is defined as a small business. Some travel agents and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Medium company A company with 50-249 persons employed is defined as a medium sized business. Only travel agency chains and tour operators are this size. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat Large company A company with 250 or more persons employed is defined as a large business. Only tour operators can be this size; travel agents are smaller. European Commission definition(s) - Eurostat

Micro and Small - Recreational Organic The organic organizational structure is quite common in small and micro entities and companies of the visitor attraction sector. They usually have very few levels of management between the general director or president of the company/organization and the operational employees. Often the division of functions is organized in an organic, flexible and dynamic manner, and employees cover different functions across the organization. These structures allow for rapid decision making Here, two levels of seniority are defined, as employees may work under supervision at the operational level or may have the capacity of taking decisions at the management level. In micro and small enterprises, it is not always mandatory to have both levels covered on each department, as there might not be as many employees to cover all positions. In fact, the same employee may develop different roles on different functional areas along his/her working time. Medium and Large - Recreational Functional The Functional Organization Structure is common in larger visitor attractions. It is used when the entities require high level of specialization. They organize their working force into departments, grouping workers by skills, knowledge, and expertise. This typology of organization is suitable when the depth of knowledge is more important than the breath of information. There are four levels of seniority defined including operator, supervisor, senior management and executive. The executive in charge should define each employee position in case that not all levels could be covered. Micro and Small - Cultural Organic The organic organizational structure is quite common in small and micro entities and companies of the visitor attraction sector. They usually have very few levels of management between the general director or president of the company/organization and the operational employees. Often the division of functions is organized in an organic, flexible and dynamic manner, and employees cover different functions across the organization. These structures allow for rapid decision making. Here, two levels of seniority are defined, as employees may work under supervision at the operational level or may have the capacity of taking decisions at the management level. In micro and small enterprises, it is not always mandatory to have both levels covered on each department, as there might not be as many employees to cover all positions. In fact, the same employee may develop different roles on different functional areas along his/her working time. Medium and Large - Cultural Functional The Functional Organization Structure is common in larger entities and enterprises. It is used when the entities require high level of specialization. They organize their working force into departments, grouping workers by skills, knowledge, and expertise. This typology of organization is suitable when the depth of knowledge is more important than the breath of information. There are four levels of seniority defined including operator, supervisor, senior management and executive. The executive in charge should define each employee position in case that not all levels could be covered. Micro and Small - Natural Organic The organic organizational structure is quite common in small and micro entities and companies of the visitor attraction sector. They usually have very few levels of management between the general director or president of the company/organization and the operational employees. Often the division of functions is organized in an organic, flexible and dynamic manner, and employees cover different functions across the organization. These structures allow for rapid decision making. Here, two levels of seniority are defined, as employees may work under supervision at the operational level or may have the capacity of taking decisions at the management level. In micro and small enterprises, it is not always mandatory to have both levels covered on each department, as there might not be as many employees to cover all positions. In fact, the same employee may develop different roles on different functional areas along his/her working time. Medium and Large - Natural Functional The Functional Organization Structure is common in larger entities and enterprises. It is used when the entities require high level of specialization. They organize their working force into departments, grouping workers by skills, knowledge, and expertise. This typology of organization is suitable when the depth of knowledge is more important than the breath of information. There are four levels of seniority defined including operator, supervisor, senior management and executive. The executive in charge should define each employee position in case that not all levels could be covered.

European Unions Statistics known as Eurostat can be found at the Eurostat website https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as common functional areas. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. These functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Some basic functional areas such as marketing and finance are shared by just about all businesses. Others, such as legal support and information technology, become more essential as the company grows. General Management Some of the objectives and tasks of the General Management area include: to be responsible of the business / Entity, to define and revise the strategy, goals and plans of the business / entity, to know and develop loyalty relationship with clients and stakeholders, to create and motivate a team of employees and to achieve the goals planned in the strategy in the short and long term. Administrative Services Some of the objectives and tasks of the Administrative Services area include: to manage all licenses and legal authorisations for the business activity, to do the payment of invoices to suppliers, to control bank accounts, to manage bank credit, to do the accounting management, to negotiate with financial institutions and to implement and control quality systems. Human Resource Management Some of the objectives and tasks of the Human Resources Management area include: to facilitate the relationship between workers and owners, to do the salary revisions, to held relationship with social prevention systems, to perform the analysis of the company"s expansion plans. Communication and Marketing Some of the objectives and tasks of the Maintenance and Engineering area include: to perform maintenance activities in hotel public areas like plunging toilets, unclogging drains, repairing all types of hardware, plumbing and electrical equipment and cosmetic items. Also includes to monitor fire Alarm / Life Safety System systems as necessary, to be fully informed of the system operation and to handle emergencies involving the systems and make proper administration as per regulations, to maintain maintenance inventory and requisition parts and supplies as needed. Other tasks that this area also includes are to ensure and maintain water heating control, to respond and attend to guest repairments requests and to understand and operate advanced electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and boiler systems. Maintenance and Engineering Some of the objectives and tasks of the Health, Safety and Security area include: to ensure security of guest room access and hotel property, to monitor fire Alarm / Life Safety System systems as necessary, to be fully informed of the system operation and to handle emergencies involving the systems and make proper administration as per regulations, to ensure that all emergency procedures are rehearsed, implemented and enforced to provide for the security and safety of guests and employees. Indeed this area includes to ensure the safety of the persons and the property of all within the premises by fairly applying Hotel Regulations by strict adherence to existing laws, statutes etc. Health, Safety and Security Some of the objectives and tasks of the Communication and Marketing area include: to identify new markets and business opportunities, to represent the hotel in events and exhibitions, to build and strength relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. These activities include : entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc. Indeed this area to work closely with Revenue Manager to ensure that proposed rate negotiations meet the financial needs of the hotel, to perform the website positioning and to perform the online comment review. Technology Development Some of the objectives and tasks of the Technology Development area include: to understand business processes and its interactuation with technology, to know the latest technology developments regarding the business, to create / adapt technology tools to solve business processes, to maintenance technology tools and to support the employees in their technology problems.

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Tour Operator and Travel Agents Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Customer care Working in customer care involves engagement with customers to understand their travel and holiday needs and using that information to tailor products to meet those needs. This may mean providing a choice of options and explaining those options. Selling products and services is a fundamental part of the role. This involves collecting and managing payments, managing booking systems, dealing with queries and complaints, monitoring and managing customer feedback including online feedback and, above all, ensuring customer satisfaction. Customer care also involves engagement with other staff and with suppliers. Communication with colleagues and management usually occurs through regular team briefings. Additionally, customer care providers participate in meetings, training and familiarization trips to ensure that they keep abreast of new products and services on the market. NTG social skills are extremely important in customer care as they will allow individuals working in this area to meet customer needs and ensure customer satisfaction. Good NTG digital skills are useful in various aspects of the job including dealing with online feedback and managing booking systems. NTG green skills allow individuals to provide customers with advice and guidance on environmentally sound travel products and experiences. Partner & Supplier Engagement & Management A key element of the work of travel agents and tour operators is having a thorough knowledge of suppliers in the market. Thus one of the areas of work is engagement with partners and suppliers. This involves communicating and negotiating with a range of vendors and in the process, dealing with issues and resolving conflict. Someone working in this area has to make decisions about what vendors to use and which of their products to use. They may also create contracts to formalize these arrangements and therefore excellent negotiation skills and customer relationship management skills are key requirements of the role.Because it is important to stay informed about products and services, participation in meetings, training programmes and familiarization trips are regular activities. Additionally, managing inventory through all distribution channels is part of the job. The ability to upsell and cross sell are important skills and these skills are enhanced through continuous product knowledge development.Partner and supplier engagement is about dealing effectively with people, usually on a one to one basis. Therefore good NTG social skills are key in terms of relationship management, effective communication and the awareness of cultural/geographic market differences. Additionally digital skills are important for various aspects of this area of work through the utilization of various booking systems, communication systems and inventory management tools. Green skills come to the fore when making decisions about product inclusion and product development Product Development and Revenue Management An important area of work for tour operators and travel agents is building and developing new customer experiences, bespoke offerings and marketable holiday/tour packages. This involves compiling travel elements into packages, coordinating prices, inventories and demand, and updating the price rate on an annual basis. It is important to develop and update pricing and inventory management strategies. The aim is to successfully produce the most efficient business mix while maximizing average rate in order to generate revenue for the company.There are a few tasks involved in this process including maintaining permanent communication and coordination with all suppliers, managing inventory and booking channels and devising sales strategies in collaboration and communication with management and relevant teams/departments i.e. sales and marketing. Staff have to learn to understand and forecast rate strategies based on current market trends/analyses. Keeping other staff in the loop is also important and therefore someone working in this area may lead regular revenue meetings with measurable outputs. Social skills are important in that regard.NTG digital skills and analytical skills are useful in this area as much of the work occurs through a digital medium. Green skills also play a role, especially in developing packages using sustainable tourism principles.

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Accommodation Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Front desk/Reception Front Desk/ Reception is the are where customers first arrive in the hotel, where they can check in at the front desk. Employees working in the front desk will also help customers with problems and complaints. The front office in the hotel industry, also called the reception area, which the receptionist is the one who get in touch with the customers, most importantly, confirm their reservation and answering their questions. The receptionist in the front office will pick up phone calls from customers too, welcome customers and also help customers checking out at last. The employees who work in the lobby of the hotel are also part of the front office as they get in touch with customers directly. They will show customers the way and carry the luggage for them. There are different parts in the front office of a hotel, which included reception, providing services when customers asked, mailing information, concierge and employees who manage with money. All these tasks are related and the quality of their performance depends on one or more of the digital, green and social NTG skills. The NTG skills allow to identify the most demanded skills in the Front desk/Reception area and how to improve them to better perform the workers" tasks.For example the NTG digital skills will improve the speed of check-in at reception, booking management or mail. The NTG social skills will improve the quality and the treatment with the client both in person and by telephone. The NTG green skills will provide guests with advice and guidance to support environmental practices during their stay. Housekeeping Housekeeping is playing an increasingly important role in the day-to-day running of any hotel, and this concept of "housekeeping" has become a central theme in hotel activities in general, which increasingly advocate a quality customer experience and exceptional care for all areas involved in the services offered.Good housekeeping is essential for general care, cleanliness, orderliness, and maintenance of the business and property. It is an important consideration in underwriting fire hazards and other forms of insurance, as well as in certification by fire, health, and industrial safety agencies. The NTG skills are divided into three skill sets groups, digital, green, and social, to support the necessary tasks and continuously seek and make improvements to the overall housekeeping functions.All these tasks are related and the quality of their performance depends on one or more of the digital, green and social NTG skills. The NTG skills allow to identify the most demanded skills in the Housekeeping area and how to improve them to better perform the workers" tasks.For example the NTG digital skills will improve the using digital platforms effectively to complete supply orders, maintain supplies and update supply records. The NTG social skills will improve communication to inform the Hotel Operations Manager or acting supervisor of the need for additional supplies when required and provide updates of inventory counts. The NTG green skills will improve the implement environmental practices in the housekeeping, for example, reduce waste, electricity, water use, plastic use in rooms, provide recycling systems for guests. Sales A sales department is the direct link between a company’s product or service and its customers. The NTG skills are divided into three skill sets, digital, green, and social, and have great importance to develop the necessary tasks within the Sales area. For example:NTG Digital skills will provide an appropriate use of digital platforms to identify new markets, business opportunities and increase digital sales at the negotiated room rate.NTG Social skills will provide a better support of clients in their reservation process, build and strengthen relationships with existing and new customers to enable bookings to support the implementation of the marketing plan, including promoting the accommodation product via sales calls, discounts, FAM (familiarization) trips, trade showsNTG Green skills will provide a better promoting of environmental accommodation practices and encourage the use of public transport and environment friendly guest activities. Revenue Management Selling the right room, to the right client, at the right moment, for the right price, through the right distribution channel, with the best cost efficiency. The functions of Revenue Management and Sales department are often interrelated in a micro company or SME (Small Medium Enterprise), with the same person or department assuming the same functions or entrusted directly to the management of the hotel Micro company. The NTG skills are divided into 3 skill sets, digital, green, and social, and have great importance to develop the necessary tasks within the Revenue Management, for example: NTG Digital skills will provide an optimal managing inventory through proper management of computer reservation system (CRS), Internet point of sales, a better use of property management system (PMS) and all other distribution channels. These skills will provide an optimal utilization of the rate comparison reports to identify and react to pricing opportunities within the hotels competitive sets.NTG Green skills will provide a better assessment on how revenue management strategies can support environmental impact reduction strategies to produce the most efficient business mix whilst maximizing average rate and supporting environmental practices.NTG Social skills: in collaboration with the Director of Sales, be responsible for challenging and devising revenue management/sales strategies; facilitate and lead daily revenue, weekly yield and monthly revenue meetings with measurable outputs. Wellness Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life and often comprises activities such as health education, medical screenings, weight management programs, on-site fitness programs, operating and managing spa facilities. The NTG skills are divided into three skill sets, digital, green, and social, and have great importance to develop the necessary tasks within the Wellness area.For example digital skills will perform tasks such as search for the best wellness equipment providers and manage services agenda. Regarding tasks such as provide a friendly and welcoming customer-oriented service customers reception, achieve clients assessment and guidance, provide specialist services, create the treatment charter and action protocols, therefore interacting directly with clients to solve problems and ensure satisfaction with the services and staff of the spa, social skills will play a key role. In addition, tasks such as take care of heating and water control, using cleaning materials efficiently or clean each space regularly will demand a certain level of green skills within the wellness area. Events Events are a huge part of the hospitality industry, and are continuing to grow. Whether it be focused on music, sport, learning or luxury, events around the world are generating billions of revenue and changing the way businesses, hospitality organizations and resorts operate. The NTG skills divided into 3 big groups, digital, green, and social, have great importance to develop the necessary tasks within the Events area nowadays and in the long term:Digital: in relation to digital skills, the Events sector includes performing tasks such as define the possible needs of the audience for the event , define a communication and marketing plan for the event, carry out the event"s program or evaluate the results obtained at the event and make a proposal for improvements for future events. Digital skills are related with these task and will improve Social: in relation to social skills, the Events sector includes define the corporate needs for the event, define the work team to be involved in the event help customers on orientation, budget proposal, closing of sales. Social skills will improve the performance of these tasks and the overall results. Green: in relation to green skills, the Events sector includes operate and management of environmental standards at events, estimate of resources needed, supervise the assembly of technical equipment and materials to be used at the event, or manage the material for reuse possible future events. Green skills will optimize the performance of these tasks.

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Destination Management Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Product / project management Destination based tourism products are constantly changing and adapting to new visitor trends and demands. The DMO may help with product development from inception to delivery and support promotion and marketing of destination brands and key niche tourism experiences. Innovation and quality visitor experiences and new tourism products and services need to be integrated with the overall image of the destination locality or region. For this purpose, quality criteria can be developed to support marketing and advertising of the destination brand working with other relevant departments.Destination based project managers advise and represent the client and are responsible for the day-to-day management of projects. Responsibilities can include commissioning/managing the design team, procurement, planning authorities, budget, contractors, utilities, insurances, change, the lifecycle of the project and document management, tracking and reporting time, cost, quality and risk.Digital skills facilitate the ability to find and use appropriate tools suitable for product development and project management tasks, e.g. creating digital routes, managing digital project management systems. Green skills help to support environmental management at the destination as well as encourage service providers towards environmental protection via environment friendly tourism products and services, energy reduction, water and waste management. Social skills, such as the ability to communicate effectively and work in a team, listening and empathy, are important in order to work successfully with individual departments. Partnership and community relations Destinations involve multi-stakeholder cross-sector networks and partnerships. Effective participative network and stakeholder engagement and management is a key success factor. Partnership and network managers have the task of creating a relevant cross-industry network structure and collaborative culture for the interaction of the network actors as well as for the strengthening of regional economic cycles with a dependency on tourism. For this purpose, it is important to define conceptual and operational interfaces for projects and activities which rely on consistent approaches and connections to the regional or local destination brand, to develop tangible benefits for stakeholders and an integrated network marketing concept. Digital skills support the coordination of networking and internal communication. Green skills help to influence network partners for a sustainable environmental orientation of the tourism offer. Social skills including collaborative team working and ability to manage conflict are vital for successful partnerships and networking.

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Destination Management Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Product / project management Destination based tourism products are constantly changing and adapting to new visitor trends and demands. The DMO may help with product development from inception to delivery and support promotion and marketing of destination brands and key niche tourism experiences. Innovation and quality visitor experiences and new tourism products and services need to be integrated with the overall image of the destination locality or region. For this purpose, quality criteria can be developed to support marketing and advertising of the destination brand working with other relevant departments.Destination based project managers advise and represent the client and are responsible for the day-to-day management of projects. Responsibilities can include commissioning/managing the design team, procurement, planning authorities, budget, contractors, utilities, insurances, change, the lifecycle of the project and document management, tracking and reporting time, cost, quality and risk.Digital skills facilitate the ability to find and use appropriate tools suitable for product development and project management tasks, e.g. creating digital routes, managing digital project management systems. Green skills help to support environmental management at the destination as well as encourage service providers towards environmental protection via environment friendly tourism products and services, energy reduction, water and waste management. Social skills, such as the ability to communicate effectively and work in a team, listening and empathy, are important in order to work successfully with individual departments. Partnership and community relations Destinations involve multi-stakeholder cross-sector networks and partnerships. Effective participative network and stakeholder engagement and management is a key success factor. Partnership and network managers have the task of creating a relevant cross-industry network structure and collaborative culture for the interaction of the network actors as well as for the strengthening of regional economic cycles with a dependency on tourism. For this purpose, it is important to define conceptual and operational interfaces for projects and activities which rely on consistent approaches and connections to the regional or local destination brand, to develop tangible benefits for stakeholders and an integrated network marketing concept. Digital skills support the coordination of networking and internal communication. Green skills help to influence network partners for a sustainable environmental orientation of the tourism offer. Social skills including collaborative team working and ability to manage conflict are vital for successful partnerships and networking. Electronic reservation/booking systems The organization of visitor experiences via digital booking systems and electronic ticketing play an increasingly important role in tourism, for example, introducing a system that offers the appropriate interfaces to the tourism service providers while being easy and intuitive to use for visitors and supportive of data analysis. DMOs may support digital training of micro and small service providers of a corresponding system to use it competently and to communicate. Green marketing skills support the distribution of environmentally friendly alternative products and services. Social skills are important to understand the concerns of tourism service providers in relation to such systems and to influence digital adoption as partners. Destination Management Planning Working across government departments and with a wide range of stakeholders, the market presence of a tourist destination is based on comprehensive destination management planning and development of tourism related infrastructure and visitor and resident use of tourism services and products. A Destination Management Plan (DMP) is a business plan for building and managing the visitor economy of a destination. This document captures and presents the information, learnings and actions identified through Destination Management processes; shares information with stakeholders as a guide to manage and invest in the Destination; comprehensive identification of and evaluation of the destination’s assets, the destination’s visitor economy; substantive evidence to support recommended strategies, priorities and activities; realistic appreciation of financial and physical resources to support tourism development projects and the capacity required to deliver the objectives/tasks prioritised.Digital skills support the development of report database solutions, data analytics and digital project management systems. Green skills support sustainable tourism development in the destination. Social skills support the co-ordination and engagement with tourism stakeholders. Capacity building, training and education for SMEs and local tourism professionals/ Innovation and entrepreneurship Continuous training is important in order to be able to react to changes in the tourism market. Therefore, successful destination management requires planning of training not only for DMO employees but also for the tourism stakeholders in the region. The continuous assessment of training needs is an important task in this context, as well as the operational implementation of the training programme, the acquisition of funding and the development of incentives for participationDigital competences help, for example, in the development of online training formats. Green skills support the development of information and training offers on sustainable tourism development and sustainable business management. Social skills play an important role to motivate people to participate in the educational offers.

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Food and Beverage Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Customer facing service areas F&B guest areas include dining restaurant, bistro, brasserie, breakfast room, coffee shop, pastry shop, confectionery, lobby bar, pool bar, function rooms, ballroom, banquet room, room service, off-site catering.The service areas need to remain clean, hygienic, organized and ready to be used by guests and provide all guests with a friendly and efficient customer service whist following the organizations standards of operations. In collaboration with the Chef staff should have a good knowledge of the food and local procurement, details of menu creation and equipment necessary for the menu deliveryTo collect customer payments, ensuring all procedures & GDPR regulations are followed to protect customer information including identity and credit card information. Digitalization provides many time-saving customer driven solutions and promotions to support the customer experience, including online reservations, the use of social media, having conversations with ChatBots about one’s orders, reviews and supporting “Instagram-able” dishes, application of touch screens, collection of consumer data and feedback for product and service development, use of tablets, digital payments and digital aftercare.Excellent service that puts the customer first requires assertive communication skills, the ability to read and understand body language, listening skills and providing service with a smile. Knowledge of food allergies, food provenance, healthy eating options is becoming increasingly essential to support customer service. Kitchen The kitchen represents a unique opportunity to practice sustainability in the management of all stages of food production and consumption, food waste, environmental systems management and execution of excellent hygienic food safety standards to create and prepare delicious dishes. This requires a systematic approach to maintaining records of food waste in order to inform portion sizes, menu engineering and waste reduction approaches. All food service, kitchen cooking equipment, food preparation areas should be regularly cleaned, maintained and organized during and after preparation and service, in line with hygiene and food safety standards to prevent cross contamination. Other sustainable practices such as supporting local procurement of food to support food provenance strategies.Effective digital procedures can support the monitoring of energy and water saving practices and use of recyclable packaging and materials. This is vital to ensure an increased level of sustainable practice in the ktichen and engineer the menu in line with the company ethos, customer needs and price points, providing value for customers and company alike. Excellent social skills are need to enforce team spirit and support customer interaction with kitchen staff. Sustainable Supply chain management Sustainable supply chain management refers to the maintenance, monitoring and review of the supply chain integrating environmentally and financially viable practices into the complete supply chain lifecycle, from sustainability criteria of agricultural production, manufacturing, packaging, transportation. Effective interaction and communication with suppliers also aids the management of deliveries to ensure correct prices, quantity, quality and freshness of products. The supply chain system should support environmental sustainability and local procurement where possible as well as implement standardization, control of drinks, food recipes and portion sizes to achieve cost effectiveness of the menu and reduce food waste.Digital skills are required to liaise with accounting departments and implement accounting standards to ensure timely and accurate payment schedule for all the suppliers and understand and maintain necessary par stock, stock control principles, and implement first in first out rules of stock management. Digital skills support ordering, invoicing, exact tracking of stock control and due dates of stored products linked to menu planning. Internal management Human Resource management refers to the process of finding, recruiting, hiring, training and retaining the talent of employees. Professional skills development, providing progression opportunities and benefits is key to employee development. Social skills for team management, internal and external collaboration and motivation for change within the organization are also becoming increasingly important.Accounting and finance management records and evaluates all business and financial transactions. Skills to evaluate how costs to the business can be reduced via effective sustainable management of resources such as water, waste and electricity as well as opportunities to utilize environmentally friendly materials.Marketing and promotion management helps to create market awareness of environmental and social consumer trends and create demand and sales for the food and beverage service and related sustainability efforts of the company. Innovation in service and food production development design is essential to seek new markets and retain customers. Digital skills to utilize property management systems to support reservations, orders, delivery, billing and payments are increasingly essential whilst customer relationship management, business intelligence systems, data analytics and data protection, cloud,digital marketing, management of websites and social media require a range of digital skills at different levels of responsibility within the business. Such dependency on online systems of managing a business require firm cyber security knowledge to protect business and customer data.<

In the research conducted by NTG the following ares where deemed as specific functional areas of the Visitor Attractions Sector. A healthy business works like a living being with functional areas taking care of different domains. The specific functional areas group skills and tasks to manage aspects of the business that have their own protocols and logic. Visitor Services Visitor services represent those provided by front-line staff, an essential role in visitor satisfaction representing the face of the attraction venue. From cashiers, admission clerks, information officers, or cloakroom staff, they take care of customers from the very first contact with the site to their departure, informing, controlling, and facilitating the visitor experience. They also supervise the correct behaviour and mobility of visitors inside the venue, ensuring safety for the public as well as collections or sites. They may take care of complementary services such as rentals (from audio guides to mobility chairs and vehicles) and, in some cases, are also responsible for catering and commercial services. Their personal involvement and communication with the public require essential social and cultural skills.Green Skills provide guests with advice and guidance to support environmental practices during their visit. NTG Green Skills are of critical importance at Natural Attractions, where conservation and care for the natural environment are at the core of their business.Digital skills allow the employees to use appropriate business software and technologies, including self-service technologies to provide seamless services to visitors.Social Skills are crucial for visitor services. As front-line staff, they represent the venue. They must communicate with a large variety of publics, properly catering for their needs, including age-related and disability skills, ability to speak foreign languages, or active listening skills are crucial to develop their jobs properly. Education and interpretation Education and interpretation professionals oversee communicating and translating the meanings of collections and research activities to visitors, adapting the messages to different publics. They promote knowledge, dissemination, and communication of scientific, artistic and cultural identity of the venue, connecting and engaging with diverse audiences, telling stories and conveying identifiable meanings. To do so, they need to understand the collections, the users, and the resources of the venue. They need to be excellent communicators mastering verbal, written, and digital codes as well as inclusion and diversity understanding.Green Skills are critical for education and interpretation professionals for whom encouraging sound environmental practices to a range of visitor are a vital element of their work. This is particularly important at Natural Attractions where understanding and caring for the natural environment is often the focus of the business.Digital skills allow education and interpretation professionals to maintain communications with visitors, develop digital content addressed to various stakeholders and use specialized software.Social Skills such as creativity, willingness to learn, and perform or skills related to intercultural host-guest understanding are paramount to an excellent interpreter of heritage and nature. Fundraising and revenue organization Fundraisers and revenue organizers search for different income sources for the organization. They plan and conduct campaigns and events to increase awareness of the organization"s mission, goals, and financial needs to raise donations and funds for its artistic/scientific and social aims. Numerous natural and cultural visitor attractions rely heavily on donations to run their operations, while for leisure installations the focus is more on commercial partnerships. Among other tasks, they need to research prospective donors, evaluate previous campaigns, and work closely with marketing and strategic departments to design promotional materials.Increasing interest among the general public in caring for the environment means this concern needs to be clearly reflected in the policies and practices of Visitor Attractions to attract donations, membership, and sponsorship. NTG Green Skills will provide the means of creating marketing and promotional messages that reflect its green credentials and attract current and new sources of financial support.Through digital skills, fundraisers would be able to connect and maintain good relationships with potential funders, develop relevant digital content intended to stimulate fundraising and revenue generation.Oral and writing communication skills, problem-solving abilities, ethical conduct, and respect will be Social NTG skills demanded in the marketplace for fundraising and revenue organization positions Commercial development and merchandising The commercial development and merchandising areas of work are gaining importance in the Visitor Attractions arena. Retail outlets and merchandising campaigns are becoming crucial for the income generation and, therefore, vital for its sustainable future. Design skills and a keen understanding of trends and markets, as well as a good command of budgets, scales, and profits, are fundamental abilities in the areas of retail, publications, or merchandising.NTG Green Skills will provide a better assessment of how commercial development and merchandising can effectively employ green and ethical practices while optimizing revenue.The NTG Digital skills will allow employees to use specialized business software, develop, manage, and evaluate relevant digital content to contribute to sales and generate revenue for visitor attractions.Creativity, initiative, and commitment to work and excellent customer orientation are some of the needed NTG Social Skills among commercial and merchandise teams. Partnerships, community relations, and Institutional Relations The role of a community relations specialist is a varied one that combines elements of relationship building, stakeholder management, fundraising, and volunteer coordination. Their principal objective is to nurture meaningful relationships with key community groups. The community relations specialist is the premier ambassador for their organization with responsibilities for delivering the employer"s vision within the local community.NTG Green Skills will provide the tools to enhance the reputation of the business with stakeholders, particularly the local community, by using local suppliers wherever feasible and operating its business in ways that protect and preserve the local environment.Digital skills allow the VA employees to solve problems with the help of digital technologies, and develop, interpret, and re-elaborate relevant digital content, to establish and maintain good relationships with various stakeholders.Communities are increasingly diverse, and professionals in the VA sectors will need to recognize and thrive in heterogeneous contexts. At the same time, their awareness of local customs and nuances will lead to meaningful links to local stakeholders. Events and space management Cultural, natural, and human-made attractions are often used to celebrate all types of events. Therefore, they need expert staff to organize the space and resources, ensuring maximum utilization of physical space without interfering with the venue mission. They may also oversee the planning and celebration of events. They manage space function, rates, and availability; need to overview scheduling and space management systems, management of programs, testing, quality control, and implementation, providing ongoing support to venue users.Concerning NTG Green Skills, events at Visitor Attractions will include operating environmental standards, estimating the resources needed, supervising the assembly of technical equipment and materials to be used, and managing materials for use at potential future events to optimize revenue while minimizing environmental impact. Green skills will also allow exploring the potential to create events at appropriate sites that are profitable and are themed on the natural environment.Digital skills allow the optimal use of available space of the attraction without causing overcrowding or underuse of space. Furthermore, digital skills facilitate the proper planning, pricing, promotion, and implementation of various events that would take place in the premises of the visitor attraction.NTG social skills will facilitate positive work environments, crucial for the internal work developed at events. A good understanding of functional diversity among staff members will also enhance the venues" capacity to attract different activities and events.

In general, green skills are regarded as skills for sustainability which are related to the technical skills, knowledge, values and attitudes needed in the workforce to develop and support sustainable social, economic and environmental outcomes in business, industry and the community McDonald, G., Condon, L. & Riordan, M. (2012). The Australian Green Skills Agreement: Policy and Industry Context, Institutional Response and Green Skills Delivery. Australia, NSW: TAFE

The interpretation of social skill concept as a multidimensional construct created from integrative, overlapping and. supplementing each other structural components of: 1) interaction skills; 2) communication skills; 3) participation. skills; 4) emotional skills; and 5) social cognition skills

Digital skills are defined as a range of abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information.

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