Skills and Competencies in Tourism

What green, social, and digital skills and competencies do you need now and in the future as an employee in the Tourism sector?

You can explore the following sectors:
- Tour Operator and Travel Agents
- Accommodation
- Destination Management
- Food and Beverage
- Visitor Attractions
You can also examine work areas across different sizes of organisations to identify the skills and competencies required.

Skills and Competencies in Tourism – Employer Perspective

What green, social, and digital skills and competencies do your employees need now and in the future in the Tourism sector?

You can explore the following sectors:
- Tour Operator and Travel Agents
- Accommodation
- Destination Management
- Food and Beverage
- Visitor Attractions
You can also examine work areas across different sizes of organisations to identify the skills and competencies required for current and future business success.

The NTG Blueprint Strategy

The NTG blueprint strategy is responding to skills gaps in tourism and hospitality.
In a rapidly changing world, digital technology and destination impacts of tourism are creating significant pressures on:
- Destination society.
- Local economy.
- Culture.
- Natural environment.

Key Questions for the Future (2030) - What will the implications of such impacts be for tourism in 2030? - How will Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data, shifting demographics, and changing customer preferences impact tourism employment and training?

These are important questions which the NTG project has focused on to:
- Bridge the skills gap.
- Progress the skills needed for the future.
- Enhance tourism career prospects.

Assessing Skills in the Hiring Process

In your hiring process, it is important to accurately gauge the skill level of candidates as it pertains to their ability to do their job. Assessing these skills can take a wide variety of forms.

Possible Assessment Methods - Requesting a writing sample. - Assigning a project. - Asking for a presentation.

You must assess whether the candidate:
- Has fully achieved the skill.
- Is above the required skill level.
- Can be developed to fully achieve the skill in the future.
As the candidate, you need to:
- Know the skills required.
- Assess yourself as having them or not.
- Be able to prove that you possess them.

Starting the Assessment 1. Select the criteria to establish the skills and competencies for the area of interest using the drop-down boxes. 2. Alongside each skill, there are four columns with a tick box in each, representing:
- Above and Beyond
- Match – OK
- Partly Developed
- To Be Developed
Review each skill and tick the box that reflects the current level, ensuring you can prove your choice.

Additional Features - You can click the magnifying glass icon to display the related competencies before deciding the skill level. - Ticking the "Partly Developed" or "To Be Developed" box is not negative — it is a discussion point for development and identifies skills to improve in the future.

Finalizing the Skills Assessment
- After reviewing all skills and ticking the boxes, you will have a completed skills assessment.
- This assessment highlights skills gaps and the requirements for future development.
- You can print the findings or download the page as a record for future progress.

Job Skills Review

As much as job skills reviews are challenging to conduct, they serve an important purpose by helping employers and employees to:
- Collaborate on goals.
- Review historical challenges.
- Celebrate accomplishments.
- Establish future plans for improvement.

Starting the Job Review
1. Select the criteria to establish the skills and competencies for your area using the drop-down boxes.
2. Review each skill and tick the box only if you can prove that the job holder(s) fully possess that skill.
3. You can click on the magnifying glass icon to display the competencies before deciding if the skill level requirement is met.

Important Notes

- Do not tick the box if the job holder does not have all the competencies now — this will be identified as a skill that needs to be developed.
- Any unticked skills will become part of the development plan.

Completing the Job Review

- Once all skills have been reviewed and boxes ticked, you will have a completed Job Review.
- The Job Review will identify skills gaps and training needs.
- You can print the findings or download the page as a record for future progress.

The Tourism and Travel Services Industry

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 (DMOs).
- Tour operators.
- Travel agents.
- And many others.

To help understand the industry, the NTG defined it into five main sectors:
1) Tour Operator and Travel Agents Sector
2) Accommodation Sector
3) Destination Management Sector
4) Food and Beverage Sector
5) Visitor Attractions Sector

Tour Operators and Travel Agents – Overview

A tour operator varies in size and capacity of operation and typically combines tour and travel components such as:
- Hotel.
- Flights.
- Activities.
- Tours.
These components are combined to create a package holiday sold:
- Directly to the customer.
- Through third parties such as travel agents.
Additionally, a tour operator:
- Produces itineraries to promote travel products and holidays to a wide range of customer markets.
- May sell individual components separately.
- May work exclusively on a B2B basis or act as a bed-bank.

A travel agent is an agent who sells:
- Holidays.
- Separate components such as hotels, flights, or tours.
Generally, travel agents:
- Do not organize packages for resale through a third party.
- May create individual trip packages for customers from separate services or elements.

Current Trends Sustainable tourism and digital transformation are driving tour operators and travel agents towards:
- Increased use of productivity-enhancing technologies (e.g., cloud computing, data analytics, revenue management software).
- Adoption of innovative technologies such as virtual and augmented reality to generate, customize, and deliver new tourist products, services, and experiences.

Accommodation – Overview

Includes all customer activities in:
- Hotels.
- Bed and breakfast.
- Hostels.
- Pensions.
- Motels.
- Residences.
Also includes:
- Private homes marketed for tourist purposes.
- Apartments, villas, self-catering, serviced and non-serviced accommodation.
- Rural accommodation, camping, and lodges.

The accommodation sector is diverse and fast-changing, and is increasingly expected to:
- Utilise digital technology effectively.
- Provide excellent customer service.
- Deliver quality business services and innovative service design.
- Implement environmental management practices and eco-friendly products.
- Sell unique visitor experiences, including leisure, cultural events, arts, and local cuisine.

Sector Characteristics - Ranges from large-scale operators to small and micro-business owners. - Uses a wide range of digital platforms for sales and customer relationship management. - Customers expect user-friendly websites with smooth, effective online booking systems.

Skills in Demand - Soft social skills: Interpersonal, communication, diversity, and language abilities. - Promote flexibility, adaptability, and service orientation.

Emerging Trends The rise of home-sharing and new hospitality formats has changed the concept of accommodation. Spending the night away from home is no longer just about a place to stay — it’s about unique experiences.

Destination Management – Overview

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.
- Maintaining a healthy and hygienic environment for residents and visitors.

Strategic Approach Destination management links together sometimes very separate elements for better coordination and efficiency. This coordinated approach helps to:
- Avoid overlapping functions.
- Prevent duplication of effort in promotion, visitor services, training, and business support.
- Identify key issues at the destination.

Collaborative Effort Destination management requires a coalition of many organizations and interests working towards a common goal:
- Ensuring the competitiveness of the tourism destination.
- Promoting sustainability.

Role of the Destination Management Organization (DMO) The DMO should lead and coordinate activities under a coherent strategy to achieve the common goal of sustainable and competitive destination development.

Food and Beverage – Overview

The commercial food and beverage sector involves the process of:
- Preparing, presenting, and serving food and beverages to customers at a specific location.
- This takes place in restaurants, cafés, pubs, clubs, accommodation venues, visitor attractions, and market food stalls.

It includes:
- Fresh and prepared foods.
- Packaged foods.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Current Trends - Growing interest in gastronomy and food tourism. - Increasing support for local produce procurement. - Rising importance of business meetings and personal/social events, leading to frequent visits to catering establishments.

Key Considerations - Recognition and accommodation of specific dietary and allergy requirements. - Compliance with allergy information regulations for customers. - Food waste management as a critical sustainability skill, aiming to reduce waste from hospitality businesses.

Visitor Attractions – Overview

Visitor attractions comprise a wide field of installations and services in three main categories, which vary significantly in business size, number of employees, and type of attraction. The terms natural, cultural, and recreational are used when describing different types and sizes of businesses in this sector.

Natural Attractions Created by nature, such as:
- Country parks.
- Biosphere reserves.
- Geoparks.
- Caves.
- Waterfalls.
- Lakes.
- Beaches.
Also includes manmade attractions based on natural elements, such as:
- Botanic gardens.
- City parks.
- Groves and orchards.
- Zoos and animal parks.
Main purpose of management: Conservation and education, requiring scientific knowledge and skills.
Examples:
- Country parks.
- Gardens.
- Wildlife attractions / zoos.
- Beaches, caves, canyons.
- Other similar sites.

Cultural Attractions Result from human history, intellectual capacity, and artistic ability. They include:
- Historic properties.
- Places of worship.
- Heritage venues.
- Visitor centres.
- Museums and galleries.
Main purpose of management: Education and conservation, also requiring scientific knowledge and skills.
Examples:
- Historic properties.
- Museums / art galleries / cultural exhibitions.
- Steam / heritage railways.
- Visitor / heritage centres.
- Workplaces.
- Places of worship.
- Other similar sites.

Recreational Attractions Built for leisure and entertainment and generally not requiring scientific staff. They range from small venues to large theme parks.
Examples:
- Theme parks.
- Leisure attractions.
- Escape rooms.
- Other similar venues.
Note: Zoos and animal parks are excluded from this category, as their management requires scientific knowledge and skills; they are classified under Natural Attractions.

Tour Operator and Travel Agency Sector – Overview

The tour operator and travel agency sector is made up of a wide variety of business types and sizes offering a broad range of services.

Market Focus - Medium and smaller operators often provide niche products and experiences for specific consumers, such as:
• Adventure and sports enthusiasts.
• Travellers interested in heritage and culture.
• Business tourists. - Bigger operators usually offer a broader range of products and services.

Types of Tour Operators - Inbound tour operators: Engage with tourists from abroad. - Outbound tour operators: Provide consumers with tour products in foreign destinations. - Domestic tour operators: Operate within a country, offering travel packages for domestic tourists. - Ground tour operators: Work domestically with incoming tourists on behalf of outbound tour operators based in another country.

Workforce and Skills - The number of employees depends on business size. - Skills vary according to:
• Type of business.
• Type of consumer.
• Area of the business in which employees work.

Business Size Definitions – European Commission / Eurostat
Micro Company: - Less than 10 employees. - Over 90% of tourism businesses in Europe are micro.
Small Company: - 10–49 employees. - Includes some travel agents and tour operators.
Medium Company: - 50–249 employees. - Usually only travel agency chains and larger tour operators.
Large Company: - 250 or more employees. - Only tour operators can reach this size; travel agents are typically smaller.

Tourist Accommodation Sector – Overview

The tourist accommodation sector is made up of a wide variety of business types and sizes, including:
- Hotels.
- Rural houses or inns with very few rooms.
- Rural to large-scale independent hotels.
- International hotel chains with several hundred rooms and complementary leisure facilities.

Impact of Business Size - The size of the business influences procedures and coordination between departments and functional areas. - The number of employees varies according to business size. - Task distribution, skills, and competencies differ based on the organisation’s scale.

You can select the organisation size to explore by clicking on the **size of organisation** button in the menu. To help you understand each size, the following definitions are provided (based on European Union statistics – Eurostat):

Micro Company - Less than 10 employees. - Over 90% of tourism businesses in Europe are micro.
Small Company - 10–49 employees. - Includes some travel agents and tour operators.
Medium Company - 50–249 employees. - Typically only travel agency chains and larger tour operators.
Large Company - 250 or more employees. - Only tour operators reach this size; travel agents are generally smaller.

Destination Management – Organisation Type

In destination management, it was recognised that **organisation size** should be replaced with **organisation type** as the way of identifying structure.

Local Destination Management - Defines a process involving coordinated actions to manage and control the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts and benefits of a specific local tourism territory. - Should be carried out by local authorities and other tourism stakeholders in partnership. - Must follow principles of good governance.

Regional / National Destination Management - Traditionally focused on promotional marketing activities. - The remit has now broadened to become a **strategic leader** in:
• Destination development.
• Sustainable visitor experiences. - Requires integration of private and public sector organisations to support with:
• Business skills.
• Education and training.
• Events and planning departments.
• Transport and public health. - Aims to provide the infrastructure and support needed for a successful destination.

Core Functions of Destination Management - Strategic planning and implementation. - Coordination and management of activities within an adequate governance structure. - Integration of all tourism stakeholders under a common goal.

Food and Beverage Sector – Organisation Size

The F&B sector is made up of a wide variety of business types and sizes.

Impact of Business Size - The size of the business influences procedures and coordination between departments and functional areas. - The number of employees varies according to business size. - Task distribution, skills, and competencies differ based on the organisation’s scale. - In a **micro company**, each employee may have multi-functional roles.

The size of organisation is determined by the European Union’s statistical requirements (Eurostat):
Micro Company - Less than 10 employees. - Over 90% of tourism businesses in Europe are micro.
Small Company - 10–49 employees. - Includes some travel agents and tour operators.
Medium Company - 50–249 employees. - Typically only travel agency chains and larger tour operators.
Large Company - 250 or more employees. - Only tour operators can reach this size; travel agents are generally smaller.

Visitor Attractions – Organisational Structures

Micro and Small – Recreational (Organic) - Common in small and micro entities. - Few levels of management between the general director/president and operational employees. - Functions are divided in an organic, flexible, and dynamic manner. - Employees often cover multiple functions across the organisation. - Allows rapid decision-making.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operational (under supervision). 2) Management (decision-making capacity).
In micro/small enterprises, it is not always mandatory to have both levels in each department, as staffing may be limited. The same employee may perform roles in different functional areas over time.

Medium and Large – Recreational (Functional) - Common in larger visitor attractions. - Requires a high level of specialisation. - Workforce organised into departments by skills, knowledge, and expertise. - Suitable when depth of knowledge is more important than breadth.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operator. 2) Supervisor. 3) Senior Management. 4) Executive.
The executive defines each employee’s position if not all levels can be covered.

Micro and Small – Cultural (Organic) - Common in small and micro cultural entities. - Few management levels between leadership and operational staff. - Flexible, dynamic division of functions. - Employees may cover multiple roles across the organisation. - Enables quick decision-making.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operational (under supervision). 2) Management (decision-making capacity).
In smaller enterprises, both levels are not always present in each department due to limited staff numbers.

Medium and Large – Cultural (Functional) - Common in larger cultural entities. - High specialisation required. - Workforce divided into departments by skills, knowledge, and expertise. - Best when depth of knowledge is more important than breadth.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operator. 2) Supervisor. 3) Senior Management. 4) Executive.
The executive defines roles when not all levels can be staffed.

Micro and Small – Natural (Organic) - Common in small and micro natural attractions. - Minimal management layers between leadership and operational staff. - Flexible, dynamic role distribution. - Employees often perform multiple functions across different areas. - Supports quick decision-making.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operational (under supervision). 2) Management (decision-making capacity).
Both levels may not always exist in every department due to staffing limitations.

Medium and Large – Natural (Functional) - Common in larger natural attractions. - Requires high levels of specialisation. - Workforce organised into departments by expertise. - Appropriate when depth of knowledge outweighs breadth.
Seniority Levels: 1) Operator. 2) Supervisor. 3) Senior Management. 4) Executive.
The executive should define roles in cases where not all levels are staffed.

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 areas were 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 for the business / entity.
- To define and revise the strategy, goals, and plans of the business / entity.
- To know and develop loyalty relationships with clients and stakeholders.
- To create and motivate a team of employees.
- 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 pay invoices to suppliers.
- To control bank accounts.
- To manage bank credit.
- To do the accounting management.
- To negotiate with financial institutions.
- 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 carry out salary revisions.
- To maintain relationships 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 Communication and Marketing area include:
- To identify new markets and business opportunities.
- To represent the hotel in events and exhibitions.
- To build and strengthen relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings (entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.).
- To work closely with the Revenue Manager to ensure proposed rate negotiations meet the financial needs of the hotel.
- To perform website positioning.
- To review and manage online comments.

Maintenance and Engineering Some of the objectives and tasks of the Maintenance and Engineering area include:
- To perform maintenance activities in hotel public areas (plunging toilets, unclogging drains, repairing hardware, plumbing, and electrical equipment, cosmetic repairs).
- To monitor fire alarm / life safety systems and be fully informed of their operation.
- To handle emergencies involving the systems and ensure proper administration as per regulations.
- To maintain maintenance inventory and requisition parts and supplies as needed.
- To ensure and maintain water heating control.
- To respond and attend to guest repair requests.
- To understand and operate advanced electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, and boiler systems.

Health, Safety, and Security 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 systems and handle emergencies as per regulations.
- To ensure that all emergency procedures are rehearsed, implemented, and enforced.
- To ensure the safety of people and property within the premises by fairly applying hotel regulations and adhering strictly to existing laws.

Technology Development Some of the objectives and tasks of the Technology Development area include:
- To understand business processes and their interaction with technology.
- To know the latest technology developments regarding the business.
- To create or adapt technology tools to solve business processes.
- To maintain technology tools.
- To support employees in their technology-related problems.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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:
- Engaging with customers to understand their travel and holiday needs.
- Using that information to tailor products to meet those needs.
- 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.
- Ensuring customer satisfaction above all.
Customer care also includes engagement with other staff and suppliers:
- Communicating with colleagues and management through regular team briefings.
- Participating in meetings, training, and familiarization trips to keep abreast of new products and services.
NTG social skills are extremely important in customer care as they help meet customer needs and ensure satisfaction. NTG digital skills are useful for dealing with online feedback and managing booking systems. NTG green skills allow staff to advise customers 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 thorough knowledge of suppliers in the market. This area involves:
- Communicating and negotiating with a range of vendors.
- Dealing with issues and resolving conflicts.
- Deciding what vendors and products to use.
- Creating contracts to formalize arrangements.
Excellent negotiation skills and customer relationship management skills are key requirements. Participation in meetings, training programmes, and familiarization trips are regular activities to stay informed.
Other tasks include:
- Managing inventory through all distribution channels.
- Upselling and cross-selling products.
- Continuously developing product knowledge.
Partner and supplier engagement is about dealing effectively with people, usually one-to-one. Good NTG social skills are key for relationship management, effective communication, and awareness of cultural or geographic market differences. Digital skills are important for booking systems, communication systems, and inventory management tools. Green skills matter when deciding on product inclusion and development.

Product Development and Revenue Management An important area of work for tour operators and travel agents is:
- Building and developing new customer experiences.
- Creating bespoke offerings and marketable holiday/tour packages.
This involves:
- Compiling travel elements into packages.
- Coordinating prices, inventories, and demand.
- Updating price rates annually.
- Developing and updating pricing and inventory management strategies.
The aim is to produce the most efficient business mix while maximizing the average rate to generate revenue for the company.
Tasks in this area include:
- Maintaining permanent communication with all suppliers.
- Managing inventory and booking channels.
- Devising sales strategies in collaboration with management and sales/marketing teams.
- Understanding and forecasting rate strategies based on current market trends and analyses.
Keeping other staff informed is important; therefore, staff in this area may lead regular revenue meetings with measurable outputs.
NTG digital skills and analytical skills are essential since much of the work occurs through digital systems. Green skills play a role in developing packages that follow sustainable tourism principles.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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 The Front Desk / Reception is where customers first arrive at the hotel and check in. Employees working here also help customers with problems and complaints.
The front office, also called the reception area, is the point of direct contact with customers. Receptionists:
- Confirm reservations.
- Answer customer questions.
- Handle phone calls.
- Welcome guests.
- Assist with check-out.
Employees in the hotel lobby are also part of the front office. They:
- Show customers the way.
- Carry luggage.
The front office may include:
- Reception.
- Service requests.
- Mailing information.
- Concierge.
- Staff managing money.
The quality of these tasks depends on NTG digital, social, and green skills:
- Digital skills: Improve speed of check-in, booking management, and mail.
- Social skills: Improve quality of customer interactions in person and by phone.
- Green skills: Provide guests with advice on environmental practices during their stay.

Housekeeping Housekeeping plays an increasingly important role in daily hotel operations and focuses on quality customer experience and exceptional care for facilities.
It ensures:
- Cleanliness.
- Orderliness.
- Maintenance.
It is also important for:
- Fire hazard underwriting.
- Health and safety certifications.
The quality of performance depends on NTG digital, social, and green skills:
- Digital skills: Use platforms to order supplies, maintain records, and update inventories.
- Social skills: Communicate needs for additional supplies, update inventory counts.
- Green skills: Reduce waste, electricity, water, plastic; provide recycling systems for guests.

Sales The sales department is the direct link between the accommodation product and customers.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Use platforms to find new markets, identify opportunities, and increase digital sales.
- Social skills: Support clients in reservations, build relationships, promote via calls, discounts, FAM trips, trade shows.
- Green skills: Promote environmental accommodation practices, encourage public transport, and eco-friendly activities.

Revenue Management Revenue Management focuses on selling the right room, to the right client, at the right time, for the right price, through the right channel, at the best cost efficiency.
In SMEs, Revenue Management often overlaps with Sales.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Manage inventory using CRS, PMS, internet sales channels, and rate comparison tools.
- Green skills: Align revenue strategies with environmental impact reduction goals.
- Social skills: Work with the Director of Sales to devise strategies, lead meetings with measurable outputs.

Wellness Wellness promotes healthy and fulfilling lifestyles, often including:
- Health education.
- Medical screenings.
- Weight management programs.
- On-site fitness.
- Spa management.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Search for equipment providers, manage service schedules.
- Social skills: Provide customer-oriented service, assessments, specialist treatments, resolve issues, ensure satisfaction.
- Green skills: Manage heating/water efficiently, use cleaning materials responsibly, maintain clean spaces.

Events Events are a major and growing part of hospitality, generating significant revenue.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Define audience needs, create marketing plans, run event programs, evaluate results, suggest improvements.
- Social skills: Define corporate needs, build teams, guide customers, prepare budgets, close sales.
- Green skills: Apply environmental standards, estimate resource needs, supervise equipment assembly, manage materials for reuse.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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.
- Promotion and marketing of destination brands.
- Support for key niche tourism experiences.
Innovation, 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.
- Collaboration with other relevant departments is required.
Destination-based project managers:
- Advise and represent the client.
- Manage projects day-to-day.
- Commission and manage the design team.
- Handle procurement, planning authorities, budgets, contractors, utilities, insurances, and changes.
- Oversee the project lifecycle, documentation, tracking, and reporting of time, cost, quality, and risk.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Use appropriate tools for product and project management tasks, e.g., creating digital routes, managing project management systems.
- Green skills: Support environmental management at the destination; encourage providers towards eco-friendly products, energy reduction, water and waste management.
- Social skills: Communicate effectively, work in a team, listen, and show empathy to collaborate successfully across departments.

Partnership and Community Relations Destinations involve multi-stakeholder, cross-sector networks and partnerships. Effective participative network and stakeholder engagement is a key success factor.
Partnership and network managers are responsible for:
- Creating a relevant cross-industry network structure.
- Fostering a collaborative culture among network actors.
- Strengthening regional economic cycles that depend on tourism.
To achieve this, it is important to:
- Define conceptual and operational interfaces for projects and activities.
- Ensure consistency with the regional or local destination brand.
- Develop tangible benefits for stakeholders.
- Create an integrated network marketing concept.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Support coordination of networking and internal communication.
- Green skills: Influence partners towards sustainable environmental orientation of tourism offers.
- Social skills: Facilitate collaborative teamwork and effective conflict management for successful partnerships and networking.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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.
- Promotion and marketing of destination brands.
- Support for key niche tourism experiences.
Innovation and quality visitor experiences, as well as new tourism products and services, need to be integrated with the overall image of the destination locality or region. 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.
- Manage projects on a daily basis.
- Commission and manage the design team.
- Handle procurement, planning, budgeting, contractors, utilities, insurances, and change management.
- Oversee the lifecycle of the project, documentation, and tracking/reporting of time, cost, quality, and risk.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Use appropriate tools for product and project management (e.g., create digital routes, manage project management systems).
- Green skills: Support environmental management at the destination, encourage eco-friendly tourism products, energy reduction, water and waste management.
- Social skills: Communicate effectively, work in teams, listen, and show empathy to collaborate with departments.

Partnership and Community Relations Destinations involve multi-stakeholder, cross-sector networks and partnerships. Effective participative engagement is a key success factor.
Partnership and network managers:
- Create cross-industry network structures.
- Foster a collaborative culture.
- Strengthen regional economic cycles that depend on tourism.
Tasks include:
- Defining conceptual and operational interfaces for projects and activities.
- Aligning with the regional or local destination brand.
- Developing tangible benefits for stakeholders.
- Creating integrated network marketing concepts.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Coordinate networking and internal communication.
- Green skills: Guide partners toward sustainable environmental tourism offers.
- Social skills: Collaborate in teams, manage conflict effectively.

Electronic Reservation / Booking Systems Organizing visitor experiences via digital booking and e-ticketing systems is increasingly important. Such systems should:
- Offer appropriate interfaces to tourism service providers.
- Be intuitive for visitors.
- Support data analysis.
DMOs may provide digital training for micro and small service providers to use such systems effectively.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Operate and communicate through booking systems.
- Green skills: Promote eco-friendly products and services via these platforms.
- Social skills: Understand service providers’ concerns and encourage digital adoption.

Destination Management Planning Working with government departments and stakeholders, a Destination Management Plan (DMP) serves as the business plan for building and managing a destination’s visitor economy.
A DMP includes:
- Comprehensive identification and evaluation of assets.
- Analysis of the visitor economy.
- Evidence to support strategies and priorities.
- Realistic assessment of resources for tourism development projects.
- Clear capacity requirements to deliver objectives.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Develop report databases, use data analytics, manage digital projects.
- Green skills: Promote sustainable tourism development.
- Social skills: Coordinate and engage with tourism stakeholders.

Capacity Building, Training, and Education for SMEs and Local Tourism Professionals / Innovation and Entrepreneurship Continuous training is crucial to adapt to changes in the tourism market. Destination management must plan training for both DMO employees and regional tourism stakeholders.
Tasks include:
- Assessing training needs.
- Implementing training programmes.
- Securing funding.
- Developing incentives for participation.
NTG skills:
- Digital skills: Develop online training formats.
- Green skills: Provide training on sustainable tourism and business management.
- Social skills: Motivate participation in educational offers.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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
Service areas must remain clean, hygienic, organized, and ready for guests, while providing friendly and efficient service in line with the organization’s standards.
In collaboration with the Chef, staff should:
- Know the food and local procurement.
- Understand menu creation.
- Be familiar with equipment for menu delivery.
- Collect customer payments while following all GDPR regulations to protect identity and payment details.
Digitalization supports customer experience through:
- Online reservations.
- Social media engagement.
- ChatBots for orders and reviews.
- “Instagram-able” dishes.
- Touch screens.
- Collection of consumer data and feedback.
- Use of tablets, digital payments, and digital aftercare.
Excellent service requires:
- Assertive communication.
- Reading and understanding body language.
- Active listening.
- Service with a smile.
- Knowledge of food allergies, provenance, and healthy eating options.

Kitchen The kitchen offers an opportunity to practice sustainability in:
- Food production and consumption.
- Food waste reduction.
- Environmental systems management.
- Hygiene and food safety.
Key tasks:
- Maintain food waste records to guide portion sizes and menu planning.
- Regularly clean, maintain, and organize food preparation areas and equipment.
- Prevent cross-contamination.
- Support local procurement and provenance strategies.
Digital procedures can monitor:
- Energy and water saving practices.
- Use of recyclable packaging and materials.
Social skills are needed to:
- Promote team spirit.
- Support customer interaction with kitchen staff.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management This area integrates environmental and financial sustainability into the entire supply chain, from agricultural production to packaging, transportation, and delivery.
Responsibilities:
- Maintain supplier relationships.
- Ensure correct price, quantity, quality, and freshness of products.
- Promote environmental sustainability and local sourcing.
- Standardize recipes and portion sizes to reduce food waste and costs.
NTG digital skills are needed to:
- Coordinate with accounting for accurate and timely supplier payments.
- Track stock levels, expiry dates, and menu-linked product usage.
- Implement ordering, invoicing, and stock control systems.

Internal Management Human Resource Management: Recruiting, training, and retaining talent; providing professional development and benefits. Social skills are essential for:
- Team management.
- Internal/external collaboration.
- Motivating change.
Accounting and Finance Management:
- Record and evaluate all transactions.
- Reduce costs through sustainable resource use (water, waste, electricity).
- Implement environmentally friendly materials.
Marketing and Promotion Management:
- Create awareness of environmental and social consumer trends.
- Develop demand for F&B services and sustainability efforts.
- Innovate in service and food production to retain customers.
Digital Skills:
- Use property management systems for reservations, orders, billing, and payments.
- Apply CRM, business intelligence, data analytics, cloud systems, and digital marketing.
- Manage websites and social media.
- Ensure cybersecurity to protect business and customer data.

In the research conducted by NTG, the following areas were 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 are provided by front-line staff, who play a key role in visitor satisfaction and represent the face of the attraction. Roles include:
- Cashiers, admission clerks, information officers, cloakroom staff.
- Supervising visitor behaviour and mobility inside the venue.
- Ensuring safety for the public and protecting collections/sites.
- Managing rentals (audio guides, mobility aids, vehicles).
- In some cases, overseeing catering and commercial services.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Advise guests on environmental practices, especially in natural attractions.
- Digital skills: Use business software, self-service technologies, and other digital tools to enhance service.
- Social skills: Communicate with diverse audiences, provide inclusive service, use foreign languages, and actively listen.

Education and Interpretation These professionals communicate and translate the meaning of collections and research to visitors, adapting messages for different audiences. They promote knowledge, connect with diverse publics, and convey meaningful stories.
They require:
- Understanding of collections, users, and resources.
- Mastery of verbal, written, and digital communication.
- Awareness of inclusion and diversity.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Promote sound environmental practices, particularly in natural attractions.
- Digital skills: Maintain visitor communications, create digital content, use specialized software.
- Social skills: Creativity, willingness to learn, intercultural understanding.

Fundraising and Revenue Organization Fundraisers seek income sources, plan campaigns, and organize events to support the venue’s mission. Tasks include:
- Researching donors.
- Evaluating past campaigns.
- Designing promotional materials with marketing teams.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Create marketing messages that reflect environmental values to attract donors and sponsors.
- Digital skills: Maintain relationships with funders, create digital content for fundraising.
- Social skills: Communication, problem-solving, ethical conduct, respect.

Commercial Development and Merchandising Retail outlets and merchandising are crucial for income generation in visitor attractions. Key abilities:
- Trend and market awareness.
- Budget and profit management.
- Design and product development.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Integrate ethical and sustainable practices into commercial activities.
- Digital skills: Use specialized business software, create and manage digital sales content.
- Social skills: Creativity, initiative, customer orientation.

Partnerships, Community Relations, and Institutional Relations Community relations specialists build relationships with key groups and represent the organization locally. They:
- Coordinate stakeholders.
- Manage volunteers.
- Promote the organization’s vision in the community.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Use local suppliers, operate sustainably to protect the local environment.
- Digital skills: Use technology to solve problems and manage stakeholder communications.
- Social skills: Adapt to diverse communities, respect local customs, build meaningful connections.

Events and Space Management Visitor attractions often host events and require skilled staff to manage space and resources. Responsibilities include:
- Scheduling and managing spaces.
- Overseeing events from planning to execution.
- Ensuring events align with the venue’s mission.
NTG skills:
- Green skills: Apply environmental standards, manage resources, reuse materials, design eco-themed events.
- Digital skills: Optimize space use, plan and promote events digitally.
- Social skills: Foster positive work environments, embrace diversity among staff, and attract varied activities.

Green Skills – General Definition In general, green skills are regarded as skills for sustainability, 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.

Reference: 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.

Social Skills – General Definition The concept of social skills is interpreted as a multidimensional construct created from integrative, overlapping, and supplementing structural components:
1) Interaction skills
2) Communication skills
3) Participation skills
4) Emotional skills
5) Social cognition skills

Digital Skills – General Definition 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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