Sustainable tourism:- UPREST is an Erasmus collaboration stemming from a larger context: a cooperative project initiated by the EU Commission where 100 European municipalities have worked together on digitalization.
In the wake of the pandemic, the municipalities of Vänersborg and Trollhättan saw significant declines in tourism. They decided to jointly explore the areas of digitalization and sustainable tourism to ensure that the tourism industry remains competitive and relevant to the needs of future visitors.
Developing digital skills
It has become clear that digital experiences and sustainability are crucial factors when deciding which cities and countries to visit, and there is significant potential for development within local ecosystems. The project's goal is to develop the digital skills of various stakeholders. University West became an early partner in this initiative.
"We have a long tradition at the university of studying and educating within digitalization. We work extensively with AI, VR, and AR, and how to create awareness of the impact of technology on tasks," says Kristina Johansson, Associate Professor of Work-integrated learning at University West.
"In the UPREST project, we have been involved in developing an educational manual that managers can use to educate themselves and their staff on digitalization related to sustainable tourism," Johansson adds.
European partnership
Vänersborg and Trollhättan are part of the Swedish-Italian EU network SERN, which includes partner cities Cervia and Ravenna, and the Croatian region of Kvarner. Together, they formed a partnership that secured funding for the UPREST project (an acronym for Up- & Reskilling Sustainable Tourism).
"We started with a situational analysis to understand what was known about AI, big data, and other digitalization concepts. It turned out that there was generally a vague understanding and limited competence in these areas. Therefore, University West was tasked with developing educational material for the tourism, hotel, restaurant industries, and tourist offices," explains Anders Fridén, project manager for UPREST.
Three tips for the local tourism industry
The educational content is tailored for European tourism entrepreneurs to provide a better understanding of how to use new digital tools to develop their businesses. As the project nears completion, Anders Fridén shares three tips for local tourism operators on how to use the training:
"I recommend gathering your team when the tourist season is over, completing the training with all the modules, films, and quizzes available, and then reflecting on what it could mean for your own business in 2025," says Fridén.
"Next, I would advise finding a partner to conduct a peer review with our tool, which provides qualified feedback on areas for improvement. My final tip is to establish a close collaboration with the municipality and the tourist organization to develop cooperation further," Fridén continues.
Modular training
University West has been responsible for the final educational manual, ensuring it is a sustainable, pedagogical, and self-instructing product.
"This training equips participants better, offering significant development potential for those who complete it. We target those who will conduct the training, and my advice is to go through the material twice, from start to finish. Once that's done, you can determine which parts are most relevant to use. The training is organized into modules, allowing users to select the sections that best fit their business," says Kristina Johansson. AlphaGalileo/SP