By implementing the project the partnership wanted to empower young women & youth in the tourism sector, by: - engaging them in training activities for creating unique sustainable and alternative tours - involving them in their cultural heritage - supporting them in learning new skills and competencies. The aim was to support the youth through the development of digital, educational tools to acquire transferable skills and enhance their curricula to, eventually, enter the working tourism sector. Specifically, the project was aimed to: - foster international and local cooperation & new networks of collaboration in the field of youth (e.g. youth NGOs, tourism departments) by setting up an online space for networking opportunities - improve the offer of alternative forms of tour guiding and online promotion of tourist destinations - promote social participation of marginalized groups through involving them in the project activities - evoke active involvement of people interested in tourism (especially artists) for promoting alternative tourism. It was also meant to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism and provide guidance on how it can be implemented for the benefit of the environment and the population.
The project aimed to address both the current needs in tourism in general and the needs of young people who strive to join the tourism sector. Tourism was one of the most affected sectors in the era of COVID-19. It has a vast potential to address some of the world’s challenges, incl. socioeconomic recovery and growth & inclusive development. The impact of COVID-19 was more than visible on tourism and young people’s lives. Especially women, who make up over 50% of the tourism workforce & youth are among the most at-risk categories. There is a valuable opportunity for youth creativity, employability, partnerships and start-ups development in the area. To take full advantage of tourism’s capacity we must invest more in tourism education, training and development of new skills as marked e.g. in The Future of Work and Skills Development in Tourism – Policy Paper (2019). It may be done through a series of quality training programs and tools to support young professionals in Europe. #WAST tackles issues brought by pandemic by involving young people, especially women in the field of alternative tourism and engaging them in tailor-made training activities and network opportunities to support and enhance them with new competencies.